Texas House votes to abolish Texas Lottery Commission; save Texas lottery
Sunset review is a process most state departments go through every 12 years. During a review, the legislature has to actively renew the department or they cease to exist. However in this case, the legislature is proactively killing the TLC.
Saturday night, the Texas House passed an amended version of Senate Bill 3070, which abolishes the TLC and hands over control of the Texas Lottery and Charitable Bingo to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). The decision comes amidst a host of scandals for the commission, resulting in investigations from both the Texas Rangers and the Attorney General's Office.
While the Senate passed SB 3070 unanimously, House sponsor Charlie Geren, R-Lake Worth, re-wrote the bill based on conversations with TDLR.
Each bill calls for the incoming Texas Lottery division of TDLR to undergo a sunset review to see how they're functioning under the new department. However, the Senate's version called for a full review in 2027, while the House calls for a review in 2029. Additionally, the scope of the House's proposed review is more narrowly-tailored to determine if TDLR is the best home for the lottery, and to determine if the lottery is following the guidelines set out by the legislature.
Both versions call for lottery mobile applications to end, however the Texas House removed a provision from the Senate's version which required TDLR to post the minutes and guest list for all formal or informal meetings regarding contracting, procurement or policymaking of the lottery. The Senate added this language after a lawsuit alleged former TLC officials worked with courier services to brainstorm the best ways to implement lottery mobile applications.
Geren's version also stripped a provision banning automatic renewals of contracts the TLC entered in before the transfer becomes official on Sept. 1.
Most interestingly, the Texas House removed a provision allowing the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House or the Attorney General from acting as lottery investigators. The language was added to the Senate version after the retailer Winners Corner — affiliated with the mobile app Jackpocket — refused to let Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick inspect how many lottery terminals they had in their backroom.
On Monday, the House will likely hear SB 3070 for a third reading. Should it pass there, it will be sent back to the Texas Senate where they can either agree to the changes or determine which disputed provisions should remain in the final bill. Either way, the elements both sides agree on will likely be sent to Gov. Greg Abbott to sign.
If he signs, the lottery will have this summer to transition to TDLR before the TLC is abolished on Sept. 1. Because the TLC is up for sunset anyway, a Abbott veto would still mean the TLC is abolished on Sept. 1, but the Texas Lottery would go with it.
'Ensuring the integrity, security, honesty and fairness of the agency and its games is the top priority for the Texas Lottery Commission (TLC). The TLC respects the legislative process, serves as a resource to the Legislature, and will follow the direction of the Legislature,' a representative for the TLC said in a statement. 'The TLC is prepared to fully support the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation with ensuring that a smooth, seamless and successful transition occurs for both the administration of the lottery and the regulation of charitable bingo.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Alina Habba Defies Judges' Ouster: 'Broken'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Alina Habba, former personal defense lawyer to President Donald Trump, is pushing back forcefully against efforts to remove her from her post as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey—vowing to fight what she describes as a politically motivated campaign to oust her. "To put it in really simple terms, it's a complicated mechanism—what's happening—and it's, frankly, I think, a broken one," she said during an interview with political commentator Benny Johnson. Why It Matters It comes after a panel of federal judges in New Jersey declined to extend Habba's term as the state's interim top prosecutor. Trump tapped Habba to serve as interim U.S. attorney in late March and nominated her on July 1 to be the U.S. attorney in a permanent capacity, which would have removed her interim status by the end of this week. But a DOJ spokesperson told The New York Times on Thursday that the president has withdrawn her nomination, which will allow her to continue serving in a temporary capacity. Alina Habba speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Allentown, Pa., Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. Alina Habba speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Allentown, Pa., Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. Matt Rourke/AP What To Know During the interview, Habba said the Senate's blue slip courtesy—a nonbinding tradition—is being used to block presidential appointments of U.S. attorneys, which she says effectively amounts to stalling or undermining the president's authority. The blue slip tradition is a Senate custom that gives home-state senators significant influence over federal judicial and U.S. attorney nominations in their state. It allows a senator to approve or block a nominee by returning or withholding a blue-colored form, known as the "blue slip," to the Senate Judiciary Committee. In Habba's case, both of New Jersey's Democratic senators, Cory Booker and Andy Kim, withheld their blue slips, signaling formal opposition and preventing her nomination from moving forward through the Senate Judiciary Committee. Booker and Kim allege that she has pursued politically motivated prosecutions against Democratic lawmakers to serve Trump's agenda. During Habba's tenure as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark was charged with trespassing following a congressional visit to an immigration detention facility. The case was dropped days later, and a federal judge condemned the arrest as a "worrisome misstep," warning it should not be used as a political tool. Meanwhile, Representative LaMonica McIver was charged with assaulting federal agents during the same protest. McIver and critics called the prosecution politically motivated, especially given her congressional oversight role. Legal experts observed the case appeared "spectacularly inappropriate," claiming Habba bypassed required DOJ supervisory approval for charges against elected officials. Habba also launched investigations into Democratic Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matt Platkin, focused on New Jersey's decision to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement—a move viewed by critics as aligned with Trump's political priorities. But Habba said the decision to remove her from her post was an attempt to thwart President Trump's powers. "What we're seeing is a systemic problem, where they are using the blue slip courtesy—it's not a law—as a mechanism to block the appointment of U.S. attorneys by the president, per the Department of Justice," Habba said. "That puts those U.S. attorneys in a position where they're kind of stuck. You're in this freeze, and you can't get out. Then they'll run the clock on you, and basically, what ends up happening is they're attempting to thwart the president's powers. "What we saw in my situation, the Senate minority leader sent direct instructions on Twitter telling the judges to vote and block me. Once it's out of Senate ownership, the judges can vote to keep you. I stepped down as interim and am now the acting attorney.. You have 120 days in the interim, I stepped down the day before." Trump has the power to remove U.S. attorneys who have been appointed by judges. A panel of federal judges in New Jersey ruled on Tuesday to replace Habba with her handpicked top deputy in the U.S. attorney's office, Desiree Leigh Grace, after her 120 day term was up. Soon after the court's decision, the Justice Department, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, fired Grace and accused the judges of political bias meant to curb the president's authority. In response, Trump's team withdrew Habba's nomination for the permanent role—allowing her to resign as interim U.S. Attorney, then be appointed First Assistant U.S. Attorney, and automatically ascend to the role of acting U.S. Attorney under relevant vacancy laws, extending her tenure for another 210 days. What People Are Saying Harrison Fields, a White House spokesperson, previously told Newsweek in a statement: "President Trump has full confidence in Alina Habba, whose work as acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey has made the Garden State and the nation safer. The Trump Administration looks forward to her final confirmation in the U.S. Senate and will work tirelessly to ensure the people of New Jersey are well represented." What Happens Next Habba will remain in her role as interim U.S. attorney in New Jersey for at least the next 210 days.
Indianapolis Star
5 hours ago
- Indianapolis Star
Mega Millions winning numbers for July 25: $120 million jackpot
The Mega Millions jackpot rose to $120 million for the drawing on Friday, July 25 after no one matched all the winning numbers in the drawing on Tuesday, July 22. If someone matches all six numbers on Friday, they will have the option of a one-time cash payment of $52.8 million. There have been four Mega Millions winners this year, with the most recent being the June 27 win in Virginia of a jackpot of $348 million. Before then, on April 18, an Ohio player took home a $112 million jackpot, a lucky lottery ticket holder in Illinois took home a $344 million jackpot on March 25 and another lucky person hit the Mega Millions jackpot on Jan. 17 for $113 million. Here are the winning numbers from the Mega Millions drawing on Friday, July 25, 2025. The winning numbers for Friday, July 25: 14-21-25-49-52 Gold Mega Ball: 7 Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. No one matched five white balls, so the Mega Millions jackpot increases to an estimated $130 million for the Tuesday, July 29 drawing. To view the list of past winners, visit the Mega Millions website. To play the Mega Millions, you have to buy a ticket. You can do this at a variety of locations, including your local convenience store, gas station or even grocery store. In some states, Mega Millions tickets can be bought online. Once you have your ticket, you need to pick six numbers. Five of them will be white balls with numbers from 1 to 70. The gold Mega Ball ranges from 1 to 24. If you're feeling especially unlucky or don't want to go through the hassle of picking, you can ask for a "Quick Pick" or an "Easy Pick.' These options let the computer randomly generate numbers for you. Mega Millions tickets now include a built-in multiplier, which increases non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four, five, or 10 times. Before, players had to pay an extra dollar to add the "Megaplier.' Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets. This story has been updated with new information. You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer. Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit for full terms.
Hamilton Spectator
5 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Immigration judges fired by Trump administration say they will fight back
CHICAGO (AP) — Federal immigration judges fired by the Trump administration are filing appeals, pursuing legal action and speaking out in an unusually public campaign to fight back. More than 50 immigration judges — from senior leaders to new appointees — have been fired since Donald Trump assumed the presidency for the second time. Normally bound by courtroom decorum, many are now unrestrained in describing terminations they consider unlawful and why they believe they were targeted. Their suspected reasons include gender discrimination, decisions on immigration cases played up by the Trump administration and a courthouse tour with the Senate's No. 2 Democrat. 'I cared about my job and was really good at it,' Jennifer Peyton, a former supervising judge told The Associated Press this week. 'That letter that I received, the three sentences, explained no reason why I was fired.' Peyton, who received the notice while on a July Fourth family vacation, was appointed judge in 2016. She considered it her dream job. Peyton was later named assistant chief immigration judge in Chicago, helping to train, mentor and oversee judges. She was a visible presence in the busy downtown court , greeting outside observers. She cited top-notch performance reviews and said she faced no disciplinary action. Peyton said she'll appeal through the Merit Systems Protection Board, an independent government agency Trump has also targeted. Peyton's theories about why she was fired include appearing on a 'bureaucrat watchdog list' of people accused by a right-wing organization of working against the Trump agenda. She also questions a courthouse tour she gave to Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois in June. Durbin blasted Peyton's termination as an 'abuse of power,' saying he's visited before as part of his duties as a publicly-elected official. The nation's immigration courts — with a backlog of about 3.5 million cases — have become a key focus of Trump's hard-line immigration enforcement efforts. The firings are on top of resignations, early retirements and transfers, adding up to 106 judges gone since January, according to the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, which represents judges. There are currently about 600 immigration judges. Several of those fired, including Peyton, have recently done a slew of interviews on local Chicago television stations and with national outlets, saying they now have a platform for their colleagues who remain on the bench. 'The ones that are left are feeling threatened and very uncertain about their future,' said Matt Biggs, the union's president. Carla Espinoza, a Chicago immigration judge since 2023, was fired as she was delivering a verdict this month. Her notice said she'd be dismissed at the end of her two-year probationary period with the Executive Office for Immigration Review. 'I am personally committed to my career. We're not political appointees,' she told AP. 'I'm entitled to a reason.' She believes the firings have disproportionately affected women and ethnic minorities, including people with Hispanic-sounding surnames like hers. She plans to take legal action before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which has also shifted focus under Trump. 'There's a very strong pattern of discriminatory factors,' she said. Espinoza thinks another reason could be her decision to release a Mexican immigrant falsely accused of threatening to assassinate Trump. Ramón Morales Reyes was accused of a writing a threatening letter by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. But the claims quickly fell apart as Wisconsin authorities determined that Morales Reyes was actually framed by a man who had previously attacked him. Espinoza said she felt pressure with public scrutiny, media coverage and Noem's statements about Morales Reyes, which weren't corrected or removed from social media. 'It's hard to silence the noise and just do your job fairly when there's so much distraction,' she said. 'I think I did. And I stand by my decision as having been a fair one to release an individual who I believe was twice victimized.' The Executive Office for Immigration Review, part of the Justice Department that oversees the immigration courts, declined to comment on the firings through an agency spokesperson. Peyton said she isn't sure that working as an immigration judge is still her dream job. 'It's important that everyone in our country knows what's happening in our immigration courts,' she said. 'The Department of Justice that I joined in 2016 is not the same one now.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
