S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                 3002--A

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            February 2, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Racing, Gaming and  Wager-
  ing  -- recommitted to the Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering in
  accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 --  committee  discharged,  bill
  amended,  ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
  tee

AN ACT in relation to establishing the legislative task force on respon-
  sible gaming

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

  Section  1. Legislative findings. a. The legislature hereby finds that
the 2012-2013 New York state budget amended the  state  constitution  to
allow  for  non-tribal  casino  gaming  in  New  York.  It also included
provisions to create a New York state gaming commission, as a result  of
the  merger  between the division of lottery and the racing and wagering
board. The commission is charged  with  oversight  of  the  division  of
lottery,  the division of charitable gaming, the division of gaming, and
the division of horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering. This  legislative
action  consolidated  the  state's  gaming  regulatory functions under a
single oversight body.
  b.  The legislature further finds that the development of policies and
procedures that foster responsible gaming practices by gaming facilities
licensed or enfranchised by the New York state gaming commission or  its
divisions  is necessary to mitigate the risks or consequences associated
with problem gambling. The legislature concludes that this can  be  best
accomplished by the creation of a task force on responsible gaming.
  S 2. Legislative task force on responsible gaming.  A legislative task
force on responsible gaming is hereby established to:
  (a)  Identify policies and programs that mitigate the risks and conse-
quences associated with  compulsive  gambling  and  promote  responsible
gaming practices for all gaming activities authorized in New York state.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD05251-03-6
              

S. 3002--A                          2

  (b) Recommend policies and procedures to be promulgated in regulations
by  the  New  York  state  gaming commission and its divisions to ensure
responsible gaming in all facilities licensed or  enfranchised  by  such
commission or divisions.
  (c)  Recommend a structure by which all responsible gaming regulations
promulgated by the  commission  or  its  divisions  shall  be  enforced,
including  but  not  limited  to  penalties for violations of regulatory
standards and corrective action.
  (d) Identifying methods to measure effectiveness  of  any  responsible
gaming procedures implemented.
  (e)  Identify and recommend provisions necessary to ensure responsible
gaming practices to be  included  in  enabling  legislation  authorizing
casino style gaming facilities in New York state.
  S  3.  Composition.  The  task  force shall consist of eleven members.
Task force members appointed or designated  shall  have  experience  and
expertise in one or more of the following areas:
  1) the prevention of problem gambling;
  2) the treatment of problem gambling;
  3) administration of problem gambling programs within a gaming facili-
ty.
  The  task  force  shall  consist  of eleven members to be appointed as
follows: two members to be appointed by the speaker of the assembly, one
member to be appointed by the  minority  leader  of  the  assembly,  two
members  to  be  appointed by the temporary president of the senate, and
one member to be appointed by the minority leader  of  the  senate.  The
task force shall also include the commissioner of the office of alcohol-
ism  and  substance abuse services or his or her designee, the executive
director of the New York state gaming commission or his or her designee,
the director of the division of lottery or  his  or  her  designee,  the
director  of the division of gaming or his or her designee, the director
of the division of horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering or his  or  her
designee. The chair shall be designated by a simple majority vote of all
members of the task force.
  S  4.  Compensation.  Members  shall receive no compensation for their
services but shall be reimbursed for their expenses actually and  neces-
sarily incurred in the performance of any of their duties.
  S  5. Report. The task force shall create a final report regarding all
findings and recommendations to be  delivered  upon  completion  of  all
objectives  described  herein,  but  in  no event later than February 1,
2017, to the governor, the speaker of the  assembly  and  the  temporary
president of the senate. At the completion of all duties described here-
in the legislative task force shall be dissolved.
  S 6. This act shall take effect immediately.