Bill Text: NY A07301 | 2011-2012 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Extends the Catskill region off-track betting corporation to include the five counties comprising the city of New York.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 32-1)

Status: (Vetoed) 2012-12-17 - tabled [A07301 Detail]

Download: New_York-2011-A07301-Introduced.html

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                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         7301
                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                    April 29, 2011
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by M. of A. PRETLOW -- read once and referred to the Commit-
         tee on Racing and Wagering
       AN ACT to amend the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and  breeding  law,  in
         relation to extending the Catskill region to include the five counties
         comprising the city of New York
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. Legislative findings and  intent.  The  legislature  hereby
    2  finds the following:
    3    a.  That  the  state of New York has an interest in the welfare of its
    4  citizens, and a particular interest in the preservation and expansion of
    5  the racing industry which provides employment to thousands of  employees
    6  across the state.
    7    b.  That  on  December  7,  2010,  the New York city off-track betting
    8  corporation (NYCOTB), a  public  benefit  corporation  created  in  1973
    9  pursuant  to article VI of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding
   10  law, ceased operations.
   11    c. That the closure of the New York city off-track betting corporation
   12  has created a considerable hardship to the employees who have lost their
   13  jobs as a result.
   14    d. That the closure of the New York city off-track betting corporation
   15  has resulted in a significant loss of revenue to the state of New York.
   16    The legislature hereby declares that residents of the five counties of
   17  the city of New York should be afforded an opportunity to  place  wagers
   18  at  off-track  betting facilities. The legislature further declares that
   19  employees who lost their jobs as a result of the closure of the New York
   20  city off-track betting corporation should be afforded an opportunity  to
   21  return to employment.
   22    S  2. Subdivision 1 of section 519 of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering
   23  and breeding law, paragraph (e) as amended by chapter 260 of the laws of
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD11149-01-1
       A. 7301                             2
    1  1987 and paragraphs (f), (g) and (h) as amended by chapter  125  of  the
    2  laws of 1997, is amended to read as follows:
    3    1.  "Region."  One or more of the following named regions comprised of
    4  the counties indicated:
    5    a. Suffolk: Suffolk county;
    6    b. Nassau: Nassau county;
    7    c. [New York city: the five counties comprising the city of New York;
    8    d.] Catskill: Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Delaware,  Orange,  Rockland,
    9  Sullivan,  Tioga,  Dutchess,  Tompkins,  Westchester, Putnam and Ulster,
   10  RICHMOND, QUEENS, KINGS, BRONX AND NEW YORK counties;
   11    [e.] D. Capital District: Albany, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland,  Essex,
   12  Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Madison, Montgomery, Onei-
   13  da,  Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, St. Lawrence,
   14  Warren and Washington counties;
   15    [f.] E. Central: Lewis and Onondaga counties;
   16    [g.] F. Western:  Allegany,  Cattaraugus,  Cayuga,  Chautauqua,  Erie,
   17  Genesee, Jefferson, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Oswe-
   18  go, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates counties;
   19    [h.] G. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this subdivision, when
   20  and  if  the  Central  regional  off-track betting corporation is estab-
   21  lished, it shall include, in addition to the counties  listed  in  para-
   22  graph  [f]  E,  the  following:  Cayuga,  Chenango,  Cortland, Franklin,
   23  Herkimer, Jefferson, Madison, Oneida, Oswego, Otsego and Tompkins  coun-
   24  ties.
   25    S  3.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, a region comprised
   26  of any counties of the city of New York, shall recognize the  collective
   27  bargaining  representatives  of  the employees of the New York city off-
   28  track betting corporation as of December 6, 2010.  To  the  extent  that
   29  such region opens facilities within the five boroughs of the city of New
   30  York  to engage in off-track betting or the support thereof, such region
   31  shall recall previous employees, in accordance with the terms of section
   32  80 of the civil service law, to positions  created  by  the  opening  of
   33  off-track  betting  and  support  facilities.  Such region shall further
   34  assume the collective bargaining agreements that  are  in  place  as  of
   35  December 6, 2010, and shall reimburse the New York city health insurance
   36  plan  and  the  New  York  city  employees retirement system for current
   37  participants and for the post-employment benefits of current and  future
   38  retirees  of  the  New  York city off-track betting corporation. Nothing
   39  contained in this act shall be  construed  to  diminish  the  rights  of
   40  employees  pursuant  to  paragraph  (e)  of  section  209-a of the civil
   41  service law.
   42    S 4. This act shall take effect immediately.