Bill Text: NY S06701 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Establishes the problem gambling advisory council.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-03-12 - referred to alcoholism and drug abuse [S06701 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S06701-Introduced.html



                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          6701

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                       May 5, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced by Sen. FERNANDEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed  to  be committed to the Committee on Alcoholism and Substance
          Use Disorders

        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 addiction services and
    11  supports, the chair of the  gaming  commission,  and  eleven  additional
    12  members:    four  members  appointed  by  the temporary president of the
    13  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.
                                                                   LBD02525-01-3

        S. 6701                             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.  examine  the  impact  of mobile sports betting on problem gambling
    18  services, including but not limited to, any increase in  the  number  of
    19  calls placed to the problem gambling hopeline or outreach to local prob-
    20  lem  gambling resource centers and any need for additional staffing, and
    21  any increase in the number of individuals placing themselves on the list
    22  of self-excluded persons at gaming facilities; and
    23    6. develop an annual report to be provided to the governor and  legis-
    24  lature  containing its findings and recommendations with regard to prob-
    25  lem gambling, including programs, resources, and services throughout the
    26  state. The annual report shall be due no later  than  October  first  of
    27  each  year,  with  the  first report provided no later than the first of
    28  October next succeeding the effective date of this section.
    29    (d) Term. Appointed members of the council shall serve for a  term  of
    30  four  years  and  continue  to serve until their successor is appointed.
    31  Each member of the council shall be entitled to designate in  writing  a
    32  representative  to  attend  meetings  in his or her place and to vote or
    33  otherwise act on his or her behalf in  his  or  her  absence.  A  member
    34  appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve the remainder of the term of the
    35  member  he  or  she  is appointed to succeed. The members of the council
    36  shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed
    37  for their expenses actually incurred in the performance of their  duties
    38  hereunder.  The  council  shall  select,  by a majority vote, members to
    39  serve as a chair and as a secretary.
    40    (e) Sharing  of  information.  The  council  may  request,  and  shall
    41  receive,  information from any state or local governmental agency neces-
    42  sary to complete its duties pursuant to this section, so  long  as  such
    43  information  does not contain any personally identifying information and
    44  not otherwise protected by state or federal law.
    45    § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    46  it shall have become a law.
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