Bill Text: NY A00590 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Amended

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Bill Title: Establishes the problem gambling advisory council.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-01-13 - REFERRED TO ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE [A00590 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A00590-Amended.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                         590--A

                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                       (Prefiled)

                                     January 9, 2019
                                       ___________

        Introduced by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL, STIRPE -- read once and referred to
          the Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse -- reported and referred to
          the Committee on Ways and Means -- committee discharged, bill amended,
          ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

        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

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD04068-02-9
        A. 590--A                           2

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