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Texans Against Gambling
Long-time coalition partner in the fight against the expansion of gambling in Texas, Texans Against Gambling (TAG), has a newly redesigned website and a new initiative to combat the forces of gambling expansion in Texas. The website www.texansagainstgambling.org has very helpful information about many forms of gambling and their true cost to our state. The website also contains a long list of Austin lobbyists paid to promote gambling in the state.

Texans Against Gambling has started an online petition for those who oppose the sale of the lottery. Please let your voice be heard by sending a message to the legislature and the governor opposing the idea and sign the petition today.    http://texansagainstgambling.org/volunteer.aspx

On Wednesday, August 27, TAG representative Weston Ware testified before a Senate committee during an interim hearing regarding the possible sale of the Texas Lottery to a private company. Mr. Ware warned against such a sale continuing the trend of unfulfilled promises by the gambling industry and predicted a call for further gambling expansion in the future to boost revenue. You can view a video of the hearing here.  (http://www.senate.state.tx.us/avarchive/) Click on the second Joint Hearing: Senate Committee on State Affairs, Senate Finance Subcommittee on General Government Issues panel begins at 2 hours 54 min.) Suzii Paynter, Director of the Christian Life Commission and Rob Kohler, a gambling consultant with the CLC also testified and warned of possible problems of any sale or lease of the lottery.

New Texas Lottery Game Promotes Adult Website
The Texas Lottery Commission came under fire and intense media scrutiny recently when it was discovered that a new scratch off game, Slingo, directs players to visit a website with adult content. Along with an adult social networking feature, the site allows users to gamble with fake money with the chance of winning an entry for a sweepstakes for real prize money.

Two TV news broadcasts picked up the story and Rob Kohler, CLC gambling consultant appears in each. An ad for the Slingo website appeared on the Texas Lottery homepage but was removed after these stories aired. However, each scratch off Slingo ticket directs players to visit the website. You can watch video of each of the stories here: 

• Austin- http://www.kvue.com/news/local/stories/082108kvue_Lotto_porn-cb.1d888b84.html
• Houston- http://www.kvue.com/news/top/stories/082108kvue_lottery_porn_slingo_texas-eh.1b98d249.html

Bible in Public Schools – Texas Attorney General Rules Courses Are Not Mandatory For Every School
On Thursday, August 28 Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott resolved a lingering question regarding the impact of the Bible in public schools bill passed during the last legislative session. The AG ruled that school districts are not required to offer a separate elective course or courses on the Bible but that each district must include some instruction on religious literature in existing courses. The opinion interprets an inconsistency in the bill where one section states that school districts may offer the course but in another section lists “religious literature, including the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and New Testament,” as  part of the required enrichment curriculum.

The ultimate affect of the new law is still uncertain. It is clear that school districts will now need to offer some instruction on religious literature; whether that instruction is integrated into existing courses or new courses are offered is left to the discretion of each school district. If school districts choose to offer a separate course or courses on the Bible they must follow the guidelines set forth in the law to be eligible for state funding of textbooks once the State Board of Education creates a list of approved textbooks.

The next critical component to insuring a good course is the comprehensive and detailed teacher training required by law. Robert Scott, the Commissioner of Education for the Texas Education Agency, has said that the TEA is not currently working on training materials because no funding appropriated by the legislature to develop the training. 

>> Read the entire Attorney General opinion (pdf)

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