(a) The Commission shall determine, consistent with the requirements of Chapters 53 and 2001, Occupations Code, whether criminal convictions affect the eligibility of an applicant for a new or renewal license or listing in the registry of approved bingo workers under the Bingo Enabling Act (BEA). The Director of the Charitable Bingo Operations Division (Director) shall have the authority to make such determinations pursuant to this section. The Commission will not apply Chapter 53, Occupations Code, to officers, directors, or shareholders of, or other individuals associated with, an applicant that is a non-individual business entity.
(b) If any of the following persons have been convicted of a gambling or gambling-related offense, or criminal fraud, the applicant for a license or a listing in the registry of approved bingo workers will not be eligible for a new or renewal license or registry listing, as applicable: the applicant; or for an applicant for a license, any person whose conviction of any such offense would render the applicant ineligible under the eligibility standards for the particular type of license (i.e., BEA §2001.105(b) for authorized organizations, BEA §2001.154(a)(5) for commercial lessors, BEA §2001.202(9) for manufacturers, and BEA §2001.207(9) for distributors). Such a conviction (which shall not include deferred adjudications and/or nolo contendere pleas) shall be a permanent bar to the applicant obtaining a license or registry listing.
  (1) The Commission deems any gambling or gambling-related offense to be any offense listed in Penal Code, Chapter 47, Gambling; the offense of Penal Code, §71.02(a)(2), Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity; or any offense committed, including in another state or Federal jurisdiction, involving substantially similar conduct as an offense cited in Penal Code Chapter 47 or §71.02(a)(2).
  (2) The Commission deems any offense involving criminal fraud to be any offense listed in the following Penal Code Chapters and as described below, with the exception of Class C misdemeanors:
    (A) Penal Code, Chapter 32, Fraud;
    (B) Penal Code, Chapter 35, Insurance Fraud;
    (C) Penal Code, Chapter 35A, Medicaid Fraud; or
    (D) Any offense committed, including in another state or Federal jurisdiction, involving substantially similar conduct as an applicable offense under these enumerated Penal Code, Chapters 32, 35, or 35A.
(c) For criminal convictions that do not fall under the categories addressed in subsection (b) of this section, the Commission may determine an applicant to be ineligible for a new or renewal license or a registry listing based on a criminal conviction for:
  (1) An offense that directly relates to the duties and responsibilities of the licensed or registered activity;
  (2) An offense under §3g, Article 42A.054 of the Code of Criminal Procedure; or
  (3) A sexually violent offense, as defined by Article 62.001 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
(d) For offenses that do not fall under subsection (b) or (c) of this section, such as offenses for which a person pleaded nolo contendere and/or received deferred adjudication and court supervision, and except as provided in subsection (a) of this section, the Commission may apply the provisions of Chapter 53, Occupations Code, to determine whether or not the applicant is eligible for a new or renewal license, or registry listing, under the BEA. For purposes of applying Chapter 53, the Commission may consider an applicant's deferred adjudication for a gambling or gambling-related offense, or a criminal fraud offense, to be a conviction in accordance with §53.021(d), Occupations Code.
(e) Because the Commission has a duty to exercise strict control and close supervision over the conduct of Charitable Bingo to ensure that bingo is fairly conducted and the proceeds derived from bingo are used for an authorized purpose, and, because bingo games are largely cash-based operations providing opportunities for individuals to have access to cash and/or products that may be exchanged for cash, the Commission finds that prohibited acts under the BEA and convictions for offenses that call into question an applicant's honesty, integrity, or trustworthiness in handling funds or dealing with the public, directly relate to the duties and responsibilities of licensed and registered activities under the BEA. The Commission deems convictions (including deferred adjudications and/or nolo contendere pleas) for certain misdemeanor and felony offenses to directly relate to the fitness of a new or renewal applicant for a license or registry listing under the BEA. Such offenses include the following:
  (1) Penal Code, Chapter 30, Burglary and Criminal Trespass, with the exception of:
    (A) Penal Code, §30.05, Criminal Trespass; and
    (B) Penal Code, §30.06, Trespass by Holder of License to Carry Concealed Handgun;
  (2) Penal Code, Chapter 31, Theft, with the exception of:
    (A) Penal Code, §31.07, Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle;
    (B) Penal Code, §31.12, Theft of or Tampering with Multichannel Video or Information Services;
    (C) Penal Code, §31.13, Manufacture, Distribution, or Advertisement of Multichannel Video or Information Services Device; and
    (D) Penal Code, §31.14, Sale or Lease of Multichannel Video or Information Services Device;
  (3) Penal Code, Chapter 33, Computer Crimes, with the exception of:
    (A) Penal Code, §33.05, Tampering With Direct Recording Electronic Voting Machine; and
    (B) Penal Code, §33.07, Online Impersonation;
  (4) Penal Code, Chapter 34, Money Laundering;
  (5) Penal Code, Chapter 36, Bribery and Corrupt Influence, with the exception of Penal Code, §36.07, Acceptance of Honorarium;
  (6) Penal Code, Chapter 37, Perjury and Other Falsification;
  (7) Penal Code, Chapter 71, Organized Crime;
  (8) Tex. Health and Safety Code, Chapter 481, Manufacture, Delivery, or Possession with Intent to Deliver Controlled Substances; and
  (9) Any offense committed, including in another state or Federal jurisdiction involving substantially similar conduct as an offense in the applicable sections of Penal Code, Chapters 30, 31, 33, 34, 36, 37, 71, Tex. Health and Safety Code, Chapter 481, or the BEA.
(f) In determining whether a criminal conviction directly relates to the duties and responsibilities of the licensed or registered activity under the BEA, the following factors will be considered:
  (1) The nature and seriousness of the crime;
  (2) The relationship of the crime to the purposes for which the individual seeks to engage in the regulated conduct;
  (3) The extent to which the regulated conduct might offer an opportunity to engage in further criminal activity of the same type as the previous conviction;
  (4) The relationship of the conviction to the capacity required to perform the regulated conduct; and
  (5) Any other factors appropriate under Chapters 53 or the BEA, including whether a history of multiple convictions or serious conviction(s) would cause an applicant to pose a threat to the safety of bingo participants or workers.
(g) Except for convictions involving gambling or gambling-related offenses, a conviction, deferred adjudication, or nolo contendere plea for a Class C misdemeanor, or traffic offenses, and similar offenses in other state or Federal jurisdictions with a similar range of punishment as a Class C misdemeanor, will not be considered to be a disqualifying offense for purposes of this section.
(h) If the Commission determines that an applicant has a criminal conviction directly related to the duties and responsibilities of the licensed occupation, the Commission shall consider the following in determining whether to take an action against the applicant:
  (1) the extent and nature of the person's past criminal activity;
  (2) the age of the person when the crime was committed;
  (3) the amount of time that has elapsed since the person's last criminal activity;
  (4) the conduct and work activity of the person before and after the criminal activity;
  (5) evidence of the person's rehabilitation or rehabilitative effort while incarcerated or after release;
  (6) evidence of the person's compliance with any conditions of community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision; and
Cont'd...
(7) other evidence of the person's fitness, including letters of recommendation and veteran's status, including discharge status.
(i) Upon notification of the Commission's intent to deny a new or renewal application or registry listing, an applicant may provide documentation of mitigating factors that the applicant would like the Commission to consider regarding its application. Such documentation must be provided to the Commission no later than 30 days after the Commission provides notice to an applicant of a denial, unless the deadline is extended in writing or through e-mail by authorized Commission staff.
(j) Upon the Commission's determination that an applicant is not eligible for a new or renewal license or registry listing because of a disqualifying criminal conviction or other criminal offense, the Commission shall take action authorized by statute or Commission rule.
(k) A denial or suspension of a new or renewal application under this section may be contested by the applicant pursuant to §402.700 of this chapter.
(l) The Director shall issue guidelines relating to the practice of the Commission under Chapter 53, Occupations Code, and this section, and may issue amendments to the guidelines as the Director deems appropriate, consistent with §53.025.

Source Note: The provisions of this §402.702 adopted to be effective January 1, 2014, 38 TexReg 9541; amended to be effective January 2, 2020, 44 TexReg 8292; amended to be effective October 22, 2020, 45 TexReg 7414; amended to be effective January 6, 2022, 46 TexReg 9285