Texas poker proposal folds

Texas state Representative Jose Menendez's bill HB 3186, which proposed improving the legal position for Texas poker players' game of choice, has been [temporarily] stymied by a procedural time-out according to media reports from the state that gave Texas Hold Em its name.

Rep. Menendez's bill was scheduled too far down a very full list of legislative proposals to reach the floor of the House for its second reading before the time deadline, the reports indicate.

Menendez's proposal (see previous InfoPowa report) followed several Texas-wide opinion polls which indicated general support for a properly regulated and taxed game in the state.

Speaking to a Dallas ESPN Radio program last week on the slow progress of his bill, Menendez opined that many of his colleagues were afraid that voting for the legalisation of poker might hurt them in the next election. "In particular, my Republican friends are the ones that are afraid of their primary voters," he said.

As we went to press there had been no announcement from the Representative's San Antonio office on whether he will reintroduce the bill this year.