S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  5163

                       2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            February 20, 2013
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. CURRAN -- read once and referred to the Committee
  on Ways and Means

AN  ACT  to  amend the tax law and the state finance law, in relation to
  establishing the veteran assistance lottery game

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The tax law is amended by adding a new section 1621 to read
as follows:
  S 1621. VETERAN ASSISTANCE LOTTERY GAME. 1. THE DIRECTOR SHALL DEVELOP
AND IMPLEMENT A SCRATCH-OFF LOTTERY GAME WHOSE REVENUE, AFTER PAYMENT OF
PRIZES  AND  ASSOCIATED  ADMINISTRATIVE  COSTS  OF  SUCH GAMES, SHALL BE
DEPOSITED IN THE VETERANS' ASSISTANCE FUND  AS  ESTABLISHED  IN  SECTION
NINETY-SEVEN-LLLL  OF  THE STATE FINANCE LAW. THIS LOTTERY GAME SHALL BE
MARKETED AND DISTRIBUTED  IN  THE  SAME  MANNER  AS  ALL  LOTTERY  GAMES
CONTROLLED  BY THE DIVISION. THIS SECTION SHALL NOT DIMINISH ANY EFFORTS
OR FUNDING FOR OTHER LOTTERY GAMES UNDER THE CONTROL  OF  THE  DIVISION.
EACH  TICKET  SHALL CLEARLY STATE THAT ALL PROCEEDS FROM TICKET SALES GO
TOWARDS THE VETERANS' ASSISTANCE FUND.
  2. THE DIVISION OF LOTTERY SHALL ESTABLISH AND BEGIN  SELLING  TICKETS
AS  REQUIRED  BY  THIS  SECTION NO LATER THAN DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST, TWO
THOUSAND THIRTEEN.
  S 2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section  97-llll
to read as follows:
  S 97-LLLL. VETERANS' ASSISTANCE FUND. 1. THE VETERANS' ASSISTANCE FUND
IS  ESTABLISHED  IN THE SOLE CUSTODY OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER. MONIES IN
THE FUND SHALL BE KEPT SEPARATE AND NOT COMMINGLED WITH OTHER  FUNDS  IN
THE CUSTODY OF THE COMPTROLLER.
  2. MONIES OF THE FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED ONLY FOR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH
ASSISTANCE  FOR VETERANS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, HIGHER EDUCATION,
JOB AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND BUSINESS  TRAINING
APPROVED  BY  THE  STATE  DIRECTOR OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS. MONIES SHALL BE

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD08501-01-3
              

A. 5163                             2

PAYABLE FROM THE FUND BY THE COMPTROLLER ON  VOUCHERS  APPROVED  BY  THE
STATE DIRECTOR OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS.
  3. THE STATE DIRECTOR OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS SHALL CREATE A DIRECT GRANT
PROGRAM  THAT  WILL  DISBURSE FUNDS TO REIMBURSE INDIVIDUAL VETERANS FOR
THE COSTS OF APPROVED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS BASED  UPON  APPLICATION  AND
ELIGIBILITY  CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY SUCH STATE DIRECTOR, WITH A PREFER-
ENCE GIVEN TO VETERANS WHO HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED A DISABILITY RATING BY THE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND WITH A HIGHER PRIORITY
GRANTED TO VETERANS WITH HIGHER DISABILITY RATINGS.
  4. MONIES SHALL BE CREDITED TOWARDS THE FUND  IN  THE  FORM  OF  GIFT,
DONATION, FEDERAL ASSISTANCE OR GRANT, TRANSFERS, PAYMENT, APPROPRIATION
OR  BY  A  DEDICATED  REVENUE  SOURCE  INCLUDING  THE VETERAN ASSISTANCE
LOTTERY GAME AS ESTABLISHED IN SECTION SIXTEEN HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE OF THE
TAX LAW.
  5. MONIES OF THE FUND SHALL NOT BE USED, TRANSFERRED  OR  APPROPRIATED
FOR ANY PURPOSE OTHER THAN WHAT IS PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION, EXCEPT THAT
SUCH  MONIES  MAY  BE  USED  FOR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ADMINISTERING THE
PROGRAM WITHIN THE DIVISION OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS.
  6. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "VETERAN" SHALL HAVE THE  MEANING
DEFINED IN SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW.
  S  3.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law.