Bill Text: NY S00409 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishes the problem gambling advisory council.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2021-01-06 - REFERRED TO ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE [S00409 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-S00409-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                           409

                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                       (Prefiled)

                                     January 6, 2021
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sens.  BIAGGI,  GAUGHRAN,  GOUNARDES  --  read twice and
          ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on
          Alcoholism and Substance Abuse

        AN  ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing the
          problem gambling advisory council

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.  The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section
     2  25.04 to read as follows:
     3  § 25.04 Problem gambling advisory council.
     4    (a) Creation and purpose.    The  problem  gambling  advisory  council
     5  (hereinafter  the  "council")  is hereby established. The purpose of the
     6  council is to make findings and  recommendations  to  the  governor  and
     7  legislature on how to prevent and treat problem gambling in the state of
     8  New York.
     9    (b)  Composition.  The  council  shall  consist  of  thirteen members,
    10  including the commissioner of the office  of  alcoholism  and  substance
    11  abuse  services,  the  chair  of the gaming commission, and eleven addi-
    12  tional members:  four members appointed by the  temporary  president  of
    13  the  senate;  four members appointed by the speaker of the assembly; one
    14  member appointed by the  minority  leader  of  the  senate;  one  member
    15  appointed  by  the  minority  leader  of  the  assembly;  and one member
    16  appointed by the governor; provided, however, the temporary president of
    17  the senate and the speaker of the assembly shall each appoint  at  least
    18  two   representatives  of  community-based  behavioral  health  services
    19  providers.
    20    (c) Duties of the council. The council shall  meet  as  frequently  as
    21  necessary,  but not less than two times per year. Meetings shall be held
    22  at locations determined by the council.  All  meetings  of  the  council
    23  shall be subject to the open meetings law. The council shall:

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD00434-01-1
        S. 409                              2

     1    1.  develop and recommend strategies to ensure availability and access
     2  to problem gambling programs and resources,  including  information  and
     3  resources  regarding  prevention  of  problem  gambling, for individuals
     4  throughout the state;
     5    2.  consult  with  individuals or organizations with experience in the
     6  field of problem gambling services on  funding  and  policy  recommenda-
     7  tions,  including  the  availability  of  problem gambling services, the
     8  location of such services, and the need for such services;
     9    3. create strategies to increase public awareness of problem  gambling
    10  and the availability of problem gambling resources;
    11    4.  recommend  allocations  of machine and table fees collected from a
    12  gaming licensee pursuant to section thirteen hundred forty-eight of  the
    13  racing,  pari-mutuel  wagering and breeding law and distributed pursuant
    14  to section ninety-seven-nnnn of the state finance law to effectuate  the
    15  recommendations and strategies developed pursuant to paragraphs one, two
    16  and three of this subdivision; and
    17    5.  develop an annual report to be provided to the governor and legis-
    18  lature containing its findings and recommendations with regard to  prob-
    19  lem gambling, including programs, resources, and services throughout the
    20  state.  The  annual  report  shall be due no later than October first of
    21  each year, with the first report provided no later  than  the  first  of
    22  October next succeeding the effective date of this section.
    23    (d)  Term.  Appointed members of the council shall serve for a term of
    24  four years and continue to serve until  their  successor  is  appointed.
    25  Each  member  of the council shall be entitled to designate in writing a
    26  representative to attend meetings in his or her place  and  to  vote  or
    27  otherwise  act  on  his  or  her  behalf in his or her absence. A member
    28  appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve the remainder of the term of the
    29  member he or she is appointed to succeed. The  members  of  the  council
    30  shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed
    31  for  their expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties
    32  hereunder. The council shall select, by  a  majority  vote,  members  to
    33  serve as a chair and as a secretary.
    34    (e)  Sharing  of  information.  The  council  may  request,  and shall
    35  receive, information from any state or local governmental agency  neces-
    36  sary  to  complete  its duties pursuant to this section, so long as such
    37  information does not contain any personally identifying information  and
    38  not otherwise protected by state or federal law.
    39    § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    40  it shall have become a law.