Bill Text: NY S03103 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Amended
Bill Title: Establishes the problem gambling advisory council.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - REFERRED TO ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE [S03103 Detail]
Download: New_York-2019-S03103-Amended.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 3103--A Cal. No. 228 2019-2020 Regular Sessions IN SENATE February 4, 2019 ___________ 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 -- reported favorably from said commit- tee and committed to the Committee on Finance -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first and second report, ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading 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. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD04068-03-9S. 3103--A 2 1 (c) Duties of the council. The council shall meet as frequently as 2 necessary, but not less than two times per year. Meetings shall be held 3 at locations determined by the council. All meetings of the council 4 shall be subject to the open meetings law. The council shall: 5 1. develop and recommend strategies to ensure availability and access 6 to problem gambling programs and resources, including information and 7 resources regarding prevention of problem gambling, for individuals 8 throughout the state; 9 2. consult with individuals or organizations with experience in the 10 field of problem gambling services on funding and policy recommenda- 11 tions, including the availability of problem gambling services, the 12 location of such services, and the need for such services; 13 3. create strategies to increase public awareness of problem gambling 14 and the availability of problem gambling resources; 15 4. recommend allocations of machine and table fees collected from a 16 gaming licensee pursuant to section thirteen hundred forty-eight of the 17 racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law and distributed pursuant 18 to section ninety-seven-nnnn of the state finance law to effectuate the 19 recommendations and strategies developed pursuant to paragraphs one, two 20 and three of this subdivision; and 21 5. develop an annual report to be provided to the governor and legis- 22 lature containing its findings and recommendations with regard to prob- 23 lem gambling, including programs, resources, and services throughout the 24 state. The annual report shall be due no later than October first of 25 each year, with the first report provided no later than the first of 26 October next succeeding the effective date of this section. 27 (d) Term. Appointed members of the council shall serve for a term of 28 four years and continue to serve until their successor is appointed. 29 Each member of the council shall be entitled to designate in writing a 30 representative to attend meetings in his or her place and to vote or 31 otherwise act on his or her behalf in his or her absence. A member 32 appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve the remainder of the term of the 33 member he or she is appointed to succeed. The members of the council 34 shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed 35 for their expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties 36 hereunder. The council shall select, by a majority vote, members to 37 serve as a chair and as a secretary. 38 (e) Sharing of information. The council may request, and shall 39 receive, information from any state or local governmental agency neces- 40 sary to complete its duties pursuant to this section, so long as such 41 information does not contain any personally identifying information and 42 not otherwise protected by state or federal law. 43 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after 44 it shall have become a law.
