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There are eight proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution that will appear on the November 2, 2021 ballot. In order to appear on the ballot, the proposed amendments must be approved by at least two-thirds of the members of both the Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives.

Texans will have the opportunity to approve the following amendments with a majority vote.

Over the next few weeks, the topic for this column will be one of each of the eight proposed amendments.

Proposition 1 (HJR 143)

“The constitutional amendment authorizing the professional sports team charitable foundations of organizations sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association or the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association to conduct charitable raffles at rodeo venues.”

What does this mean to voters?

According to https://ballotpedia.org/

A “yes” vote supports amending the state constitution to (i) authorize professional sports team charitable foundations to conduct raffles at rodeo venues and (ii) include professional association-sanctioned rodeos in the definition of professional sports team.

A “no” vote opposes amending the state constitution, thus continuing to prohibit charitable raffles at rodeo venues.

A law enacted under this subsection may apply only to an entity defined as a professional sports team charitable foundation under that law and may only allow charitable raffles to be conducted at games or rodeo events hosted at the home venue of the professional sports team associated with a professional sports team charitable foundation. In this subsection, “professional sports team” means:

(4) an organization sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association or the Women ’s Professional Rodeo Association; or

(4)(5) any other professional sports team defined by law.

During the 2021 legislative session, the Texas State Legislature passed House Bill 3012 (HB 3012), which amended state statute to include “an organization sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association or the Women ’s Professional Rodeo Association” as a professional sports team authorized to host charitable raffles. HB 3012 passed in the House by a vote of 129-18 with three not voting or excused. It passed in the Senate by a vote of 26-4 with one excused.

Proposition 5, in 2017, expanded the definition of a professional sports team for the purpose of deciding which charitable foundations are allowed to hold raffles.

Proposition 4, in 2015, authorized professional sports team charitable foundations in existence on January 1, 2016, to operate charitable raffles.

Proposition 15, in 1989, permitted and regulated raffles conducted by nonprofit organizations for charitable purposes.

If voters approve this amendment, organizations sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association or the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association to conduct charitable raffles at rodeo venues. This could help raise revenue for the chartable foundations associated with the sporting events.

While many may want to donate to an organization, sometimes the exchange of a prize such as winning a raffle may be an incentive to help these charitable organizations raise more funds thus improving the services they can provide.

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) was created in 1936 and is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It sanctions approximately 600 rodeo events annually across the world.

The Women’s Professional Rodeo Association was created in 1948 and is also headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It has 3,000 members and sanctions 1,500 events annually.

 

Dawn Burleigh is general manager and editor of The Orange Leader. She can be reached at dawn.burleigh@orangeleader.com