NY State Senate Bill 2011-S6594

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Racing, Gaming And Wagering Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Mar 01, 2012	referred to racing, gaming and wagering

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2011-S6594 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Racing, Gaming And Wagering
Law Section:: General Municipal Law
Laws Affected:: Amd Gen Muni L, generally
Versions Introduced in 2013-2014 Legislative Session:: S2427

2011-S6594 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Eases certain restrictions on the conducting of bingo games for charitable purposes; authorizes the payment, out of the net proceeds of bingo games, of reimbursement for reasonable expenses of volunteers working at the games; expands the frequency upon which bingo games may be held; increases the maximum amount of a bingo prize from $1,000 to $1,500 and the aggregate prizes from $3,000 to $4,000

2011-S6594 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S6594

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the general municipal law, in relation to the conducting of
bingo by certain organizations

PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to update the provisions that
govern the conduct of bingo games in New York. Article 14-H of the
General Municipal Law was first codified in 1957 and has not been
substantially modified since that date. The operation of bingo games
raises significant funds for not-for-profit organizations that helps
to support their charitable purposes. However, the change in
lifestyles and entertainment venues since the 1960's has
substantially curtailed the amount of bingo money raised by
charitable organizations to support their charitable purposes. This
bill hopes to encourage more volunteers to participate in bingo games
and reduce overhead costs that could then be shifted to supporting
those designated charitable purposes.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends General Municipal Law section 476 to update
definitions that are used in Article 14-H that govern the regulation
of bingo games.
Among the definitions that are modified are the inclusion of the term

"auxiliary member". This definition is currently included in the law,
but is buried in the body of the General Municipal Law. It updates
the definition of "net proceeds" to better reflect the kinds of
expenses that charitable organizations incur to operate bingo games.
This provision slightly increases the number of times and number of
games of bingo that that occur during the calendar year. Also, a
definition for "reasonable expenses incurred by a volunteer" has been
included

Section 2: Amends General Municipal Law section 479 to permit
auxiliary members of a charitable organization to participate in the
management and operation of such games. This provision was added to
reflect the current problem that charitable organizations are facing
in securing volunteers to manage and conduct bingo games. Further, it
permits the charitable organization to reimburse volunteers for their
reasonable expenses incurred to volunteer for conducting such games.
The items would be limited transportation costs, babysitting costs to
watch children while parents help conduct bingo games. To avoid abuse
of this section, the Board could adopt rules or standards to specify
the kinds of reimbursable expenses which could be allowed for
volunteers. This provision also increases the prize limit from $
1,000 to $ 1,500 and the aggregate prize value from $ 3,000 to $
4,000 to reflect the devaluation of the prizes due to inflation. The
last time the prize limits were increased was in 1957, the last year
of the Governor Harriman Administration. Since 1957, New York has had

Governors Rockefeller, Carey, Cuomo, Pataki, Spitzer, and now Andrew
Cuomo.

Section 3: Amends General Municipal Law section 480 to revise how
reasonable expenses of volunteers of a charitable organization can be
paid for to increase the pool of volunteers who can assist in the
conduct of bingo games.

Section 4: Amends General Municipal Law section 481 to update
provisions related to those who have been convicted of a crime to
conduct bingo games, if the charitable organization that is
sponsoring such bingo games has as its charitable purposes the charge
of assisting and rehabilitating those who have committed crimes or
convicted of drug offenses. There are probably worse things that a
formerly convicted individual could be doing once released from
prison than helping to conduct a game of bingo that is under the
supervision of a rehabilitation services program. This provision also
slightly increases the ceiling on the single and aggregate prize
award from, respectively, $ 1,000 to $ 1,500 and $3,000 to $ 4,000.
Again, these caps were instituted in 1957, the same year that the '57
Chevy was manufactured.

Section 5: Amends General Municipal Law section 483 to delete
references to the Bingo Control Board, which went out of existence in
1977, and whose duties were shifted to the Racing & Wagering Board in
the same year.

Section 6: Amends General Municipal Law section 484 to delete
references to the Bingo Control Board, which went out of existence in
1977.

Section 7: Amends General Municipal Law section 485 to change the
default on conducting bingo games on Sunday from being prohibited
unless authorized by the local municipality to being permitted unless
the local municipality opts to prohibit such games on Sunday.

Section 8: Amends General Municipal Law section 486 to permit those
who are 15 to 18 years old to help conduct games of bingo as long as
they are accompanied by a parent or another adult. Under current law,
children can participate in bingo games as long as they are
accompanied by an adult. This bill will increase the pool of
volunteers that could help to conduct bingo games, provide assistance
at the snack stand and hand out bingo cards. Since 1957, the world
has changed. With the expanded used of the internet, internet
gambling, and questionable material that is readily available to
children on the internet, it seems outdated that a teenagers between
the ages of 15 and 18 are prohibited from assisting their parents or
other adults in passing out bingo cards to game participants. In
today's society, there are probably much worse things that a teenager
could be doing than helping a charitable organization conduct a bingo
game.

Section 9: Amends General Municipal Law section 487 to increase the
frequency at which bingo games can be conducted from 18 to 27 days in
any three successive calendar months.

Section 10: Amends General Municipal Law section 488 to reformat this
section so that the definition of auxiliary member of a charitable
organization is contained not in this section, but shifted to the
definitions section contained in bill section one.

Section 11: Amends General Municipal Law section 490 to modernize the
types of advertising that can be done to promote bingo game nights.
It permits the use of emails and government access television
broadcasts. Also, it allows volunteer ambulance companies to display
signs advertising bingo events as is
now the case for volunteer fire companies. When this law was first
enacted in 1957, ambulance corps were generally associated with a
fire company.
Since then, the free standing volunteer ambulance company is more
common so this provision was amended to include such free standing
ambulance squads.

Section 12: Amends General Municipal Law section 491 to extend from 7
days to 10 days in which file municipal reports on gross receipts
from bingo games. Since these reports are prepared and filed by
charitable organization volunteers, this extension in the time period
will in effect give them not just one, but two full weekends to
prepare and file reports on gross receipts.

JUSTIFICATION:
The conduct of bingo games, in the past, has raised
substantial funds to support the charitable purposes of those
organization that conduct such games. However, the total amount
wagered and more importantly the profit that is retained by these
charitable organizations has been steadily declining. In 2000, total
bingo handle generated in New York was $178,011,000, however in 2010
that total handle declined by $104,000,000 to a total of
$74,000,000. More importantly, the profits generated by bingo games
has imploded from $38,047,000 in 2000 to $10,800,000 in 2010. That is
an annual reduction in support for New York's charitable
organizations of $27,200,000.

There are many reasons for this reduction in revenue generated to
support charitable organizations. The most important is the reduced
number and pool of volunteers available to conduct and manage such
games. This bill addresses this by allowing volunteers to get at
least some of their out-of-pocket expenses for volunteering to
conduct such games such as child care costs and gas money when
volunteering, and allowing teenagers over the age of 15 to assist
other adults in conducting the games and operating the snack bar.
second, the means of advertising bingo games needs to be modernized
to include those forms of communication that are more commonly used

now, ie.
The internet.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
January first after the act shall have become law.

2011-S6594 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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

                                  6594

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              March 1, 2012
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sens. KLEIN, CARLUCCI -- read twice and ordered printed,
  and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on  Racing,  Gaming
  and Wagering

AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to the conducting
  of bingo by certain organizations

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

  Section 1. Subdivisions 2, 7, 9, 10 and 11-a of  section  476  of  the
general  municipal  law,  subdivision  2 as amended by chapter 46 of the
laws of 1977, subdivision 7 as amended by chapter 438  of  the  laws  of
1962,  subdivision  9  as  amended  by chapter 1057 of the laws of 1965,
paragraph (a) of subdivision 9 as amended by section 16 of  part  LL  of
chapter 56 of the laws of 2010, subdivision 10 as amended by chapter 364
of  the laws of 1968 and subdivision 11-a as added by chapter 160 of the
laws of 1994, are amended and two new subdivisions 4-a and 13 are  added
to read as follows:
  2. ["Control commission" or "commission"] "BOARD" shall mean the state
racing and wagering board.
  4-A.  "AUXILIARY MEMBER" SHALL MEAN A BONA FIDE MEMBER OF AN ORGANIZA-
TION  OR  ASSOCIATION  WHICH  IS AUXILIARY TO AN AUTHORIZED ORGANIZATION
LICENSED PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE; OR A BONA FIDE MEMBER OF AN ORGANIZA-
TION OR ASSOCIATION OF WHICH AN AUTHORIZED ORGANIZATION LICENSED  PURSU-
ANT  TO THIS ARTICLE IS AN AUXILIARY; OR A BONA FIDE MEMBER OF AN ORGAN-
IZATION  OR  ASSOCIATION  WHICH  IS  AFFILIATED   WITH   AN   AUTHORIZED
ORGANIZATION LICENSED PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE BY BEING, WITH IT, AUXIL-
IARY TO ANOTHER ORGANIZATION OR ASSOCIATION.
  7.  "Net  proceeds"  shall  mean (a) in relation to the gross receipts
from one or more occasions of bingo, the amount that shall remain  after
deducting  the  reasonable  sums  necessarily  and actually expended for
CONDUCTING BINGO GAMES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, bingo supplies and
equipment, prizes, stated  rental  if  any,  bookkeeping  or  accounting
services  according  to  a  schedule  of  compensation prescribed by the
[commission] BOARD, janitorial services and  utility  supplies  if  any,
license  fees,  and  [the  cost  of bus transportation] REIMBURSEMENT OF

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

                                                           LBD14715-02-2

S. 6594                             2

REASONABLE EXPENSES INCURRED BY VOLUNTEERS  WHO  DONATE  THEIR  TIME  TO
HOLD,  OPERATE  OR CONDUCT, OR ASSIST IN THE CONDUCT OF SUCH GAMES, [if]
AS authorized by the [control commission] BOARD, and (b) in relation  to
the gross rent received by an organization licensed to conduct bingo for
the  use  of  its  premises  by  another licensee, the amount that shall
remain after deducting the  reasonable  sums  necessarily  and  actually
expended for janitorial services and utility supplies directly attribut-
able thereto if any.
  9.  "Authorized commercial lessor" shall mean a person, firm or corpo-
ration other than a licensee to conduct bingo under  the  provisions  of
this  article, who or which shall own or be a net lessee of premises and
offer the same for leasing by him, HER or it to an authorized  organiza-
tion  for  any  consideration  whatsoever,  direct  or indirect, for the
purpose of conducting bingo therein, provided that he, SHE or it, as the
case may be, shall not be
  (a) a person convicted of a crime who has not received a pardon  or  a
certificate of good conduct or a certificate of relief from disabilities
pursuant to article twenty-three of the correction law;
  (b)  a  person  who  is or has been a professional gambler or gambling
promoter or who for other reasons is not of good moral character;
  (c) a public officer who receives any consideration, direct  or  indi-
rect, as owner or lessor of premises offered for the purpose of conduct-
ing bingo therein;
  (d)  a  firm or corporation in which a person defined in [subdivision]
PARAGRAPH (a), (b) or (c)  [above]  OF  THIS  SUBDIVISION  or  a  person
married  [or  related  in the first degree] to such a person has greater
than a ten [percentum] PER CENTUM (10%) proprietary, equitable or credit
interest or in which such a person is active or employed[.]; OR
  (E) A FIRM OR CORPORATION IN WHICH  A  PERSON  RELATED  TO  A  PERSON,
DEFINED  IN  PARAGRAPH  (A), (B) OR (C) OF THIS SUBDIVISION, HAS GREATER
THAN TWENTY PER CENTUM (20%) PROPRIETARY, EQUITABLE OR  CREDIT  INTEREST
OR IN WHICH SUCH A RELATED PERSON IS ACTIVE OR EMPLOYED.
  Nothing  contained  in  this subdivision shall be construed to bar any
firm or corporation which is not organized for pecuniary profit  and  no
part  of  the net earnings of which inure to the benefit of any individ-
ual, member, or shareholder, from being an authorized commercial  lessor
solely  because  a public officer, or a person married or related in the
first degree to a public officer, is a member of, active in or  employed
by such firm or corporation.
  10.  "Limited  period  bingo"  shall  mean  the  conduct of bingo by a
licensed authorized organization, for a period of not more than  [seven]
TEN  of  [twelve]  FOURTEEN  consecutive  days  in  any  one  year, at a
festival,  bazaar,  carnival  or  similar  function  conducted  by  such
licensed authorized organization. No authorized organization licensed to
conduct  limited  period  bingo  shall  be otherwise eligible to conduct
bingo pursuant to this article in the same year.
  11-a. "Early bird" shall mean a  bingo  game  which  is  played  as  a
special game, conducted not more than [twice] THREE TIMES during a bingo
occasion,  in  which  prizes  are awarded based upon a percentage not to
exceed seventy-five percent of the sum of money received from  the  sale
of the early bird cards and which is neither subject to the prize limits
imposed  by  subdivisions  five and six of section four hundred seventy-
nine and paragraph (a) of subdivision one of section four hundred eight-
y-one, nor the special game opportunity charge limit imposed by  section
four hundred eighty-nine of this article. The percentage shall be speci-
fied both in the application for bingo license and the license. Not more

S. 6594                             3

than  one  dollar  shall  be  charged  per  card  with  the total amount
collected from the sale of the early bird cards and the prize  for  each
game to be announced before the commencement of each game.
  13.  "REASONABLE  EXPENSES INCURRED BY A VOLUNTEER" SHALL INCLUDE, BUT
NOT BE LIMITED TO, CHILD CARE EXPENSES, TRANSPORTATION  EXPENSES,  MEALS
AND OTHER EXPENSES, AS DETERMINED AND REGULATED BY THE BOARD.
  S  2.    Subdivisions  3,  5, 6, 7 and 8 of section 479 of the general
municipal law, subdivision 3 as amended by chapter 337 of  the  laws  of
1998,  subdivisions  5  and  6  as amended by chapter 328 of the laws of
1994, and subdivisions 7 and 8 as amended by chapter 814 of the laws  of
1964, are amended to read as follows:
  3.  No  authorized  organization licensed under the provisions of this
article shall purchase, lease, or  receive  any  supplies  or  equipment
specifically  designed  or adapted for use in the conduct of bingo games
from other than a supplier licensed under [the bingo control law]  ARTI-
CLE NINETEEN-B OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW or from another authorized organiza-
tion.
  5. No prize shall exceed the sum or value of one thousand FIVE HUNDRED
dollars in any single game of bingo.
  6.  No series of prizes on any one bingo occasion shall aggregate more
than [three] FOUR thousand dollars.
  7. No person except a bona fide member OR AUXILIARY MEMBER of any such
organization shall participate in the management or  operation  of  such
game.
  8.  No  person shall receive any remuneration for participating in the
management or operation of any game of bingo; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT  A
PERSON  MAY  ACCEPT  REIMBURSEMENT  OF  REASONABLE  EXPENSES INCURRED TO
MANAGE, HOLD, OPERATE OR CONDUCT SUCH GAMES.
  S 3. Subparagraph 6 of paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of  section  480
of  the  general municipal law, as amended by chapter 611 of the laws of
1963, is amended to read as follows:
  (6) the specific purposes to which the entire  net  proceeds  of  such
games  are to be devoted and in what manner; that no commission, salary,
compensation[,] OR reward [or recompense] will be paid to any person for
conducting such bingo game or games or for assisting therein  except  as
in  this article otherwise provided; and such other information as shall
be prescribed by such rules and regulations.
  S 4. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 and subdivision 3 of  section  481
of  the general municipal law, paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 as amended
by section 17 of part LL of chapter 56 of the laws of 2010 and  subdivi-
sion  3  as  amended  by chapter 284 of the laws of 1969, are amended to
read as follows:
  (a) Issuance of licenses to conduct bingo. If the  governing  body  of
the municipality shall determine that the applicant is duly qualified to
be  licensed  to  conduct  bingo  under this article; that the member or
members of the applicant designated in the application to conduct  bingo
are  bona  fide  active members of the applicant and are persons of good
moral character and  have  never  been  convicted  of  a  crime  or,  if
convicted,  have received a pardon or a certificate of good conduct or a
certificate of relief from disabilities pursuant to article twenty-three
of the correction law, OR, IF  CONVICTED,  THE  MEMBER  OR  MEMBERS  ARE
PARTICIPATING  IN  A  REHABILITATION  PROGRAM LICENSED OR CERTIFIED BY A
STATE AGENCY AND OPERATED BY THE APPLICANT OR AN AUXILIARY THEREOF; that
such games are to be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this
article and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the [commis-
sion] BOARD, and that the proceeds thereof are  to  be  disposed  of  as

S. 6594                             4

provided by this article, and if the governing body is satisfied that no
commission,  salary,  compensation[,] OR reward [or recompense] whatever
will be paid or given to any person holding, operating or conducting  or
assisting in the holding, operation and conduct of any such games except
as  [in  this  article]  otherwise  provided  IN THIS ARTICLE, INCLUDING
REIMBURSEMENT OF REASONABLE EXPENSES INCURRED BY VOLUNTEERS  WHO  DONATE
THEIR TIME TO HOLD, OPERATE OR CONDUCT, OR ASSIST IN THE CONDUCT OF SUCH
GAMES;  and that no prize will be offered and given in excess of the sum
or value of one thousand FIVE HUNDRED dollars in  any  single  game  and
that  the aggregate of all prizes offered and given in all of such games
conducted on a single occasion, under said license shall not exceed  the
sum  or value of [three] FOUR thousand dollars, it shall issue a license
to the applicant for the conduct of bingo upon payment of a license  fee
of  eighteen  dollars  [and seventy-five cents] for each bingo occasion;
provided, however, that the governing  body  shall  refuse  to  issue  a
license  to  an  applicant  seeking  to  conduct  bingo in premises of a
licensed commercial lessor where it determines that the  premises  pres-
ently  owned or occupied by said applicant are in every respect adequate
and suitable for conducting bingo games.
  3. No license shall be issued under this article which shall be effec-
tive for a period of more than one year. In the case of  limited  period
bingo,  no license shall be issued authorizing the conduct of such games
on more than [two] THREE occasions in any one day nor shall any  license
be  issued  under  this article which shall be effective for a period of
more than [seven] TEN of [twelve] FOURTEEN consecutive days in  any  one
year. No license for the conduct of limited period bingo shall be issued
in cities having a population of one million or more.
  S  5.  Section 483 of the general municipal law, as amended by chapter
438 of the laws of 1962, is amended to read as follows:
  S 483. Form and contents of license; display of  license.  1.  [Eeach]
EACH  license  to  conduct  bingo  shall  be  in  such  form as shall be
prescribed in the rules and  regulations  promulgated  by  the  [control
commission] BOARD, and shall contain a statement of the name and address
of  the licensee, of the names and addresses of the member or members of
the licensee under whom the games will be conducted,  of  the  place  or
places where and the date or dates and time or times when such games are
to  be  conducted  and  of the specific purposes to which the entire net
proceeds of such games are to be devoted; if any prize or prizes are  to
be  offered  and given in cash, a statement of the amounts of the prizes
authorized so to be offered and given; and any other  information  which
may  be  required by said rules and regulations to be contained therein,
and each license issued for the conduct of any game shall  be  conspicu-
ously  displayed at the place where same is to be conducted at all times
during the conduct thereof.
  2. Each license to lease premises for conducting  bingo  shall  be  in
such  form  as  shall  be prescribed in the rules and regulations of the
[control commission] BOARD and shall contain a statement of the name and
address of the licensee and the address  of  the  leased  premises,  the
amount  of  permissible  rent  and  any  other  information which may be
required by said rules and regulations to be contained therein, and each
such license shall be conspicuously displayed upon such premises at  all
times during the conduct of bingo.
  S  6.  Section 484 of the general municipal law, as amended by chapter
900 of the laws of 1981, is amended to read as follows:
  S 484. Control and supervision; suspension of licenses; inspection  of
premises.  1. The governing body of any municipality issuing any license

S. 6594                             5

under this article shall have  and  exercise  rigid  control  and  close
supervision over all games of bingo conducted under such license, to the
end that the same are fairly conducted in accordance with the provisions
of such license, the provisions of the rules and regulations promulgated
by the [control commission] BOARD and the provisions of this article and
such  governing  body  and the [control commission] BOARD shall have the
power and the authority to suspend any license issued by such  governing
body  and  to  revoke  the  same,  and,  additionally, in the case of an
authorized commercial lessor, to impose a fine in an amount not  exceed-
ing one thousand dollars, after notice and hearing, for violation of any
such  provisions, and shall have the right of entry, by their respective
officers and agents, at all times into any premises where  any  game  of
bingo  is  being  conducted  or  where it is intended that any such game
shall be conducted, or where any equipment being used or intended to  be
used  in the conduct thereof is found, for the purpose of inspecting the
same.
  2. In addition to the authority granted pursuant to subdivision one of
this section, the governing body and the [control commission] BOARD,  in
a  city having a population of one million or more, may impose a fine in
an amount not exceeding one thousand dollars, after notice and  hearing,
on  any  licensee  under  this article for violation of any provision of
such license, this article or rules and regulations promulgated pursuant
thereto.
  S 7. Section 485 of the general municipal law, as amended  by  chapter
438 of the laws of 1962, is amended to read as follows:
  S  485. Sunday; conduct of games on. [No games] GAMES of bingo [shall]
MAY be conducted under any license issued  under  this  article  on  the
first  day of the week, commonly known as [designated as] Sunday, unless
it shall be otherwise provided in the license issued  for  the  holding,
operating  and conducting thereof, pursuant to the provisions of a local
law or an ordinance duly adopted by the governing body  of  the  munici-
pality  issuing  the  license,  [authorizing] PROHIBITING the conduct of
bingo under this article on that day.
  S 8. Section 486 of the general municipal law, as amended  by  chapter
438 of the laws of 1962, is amended to read as follows:
  S  486.  Participation  by persons under eighteen. No person under the
age of eighteen years shall be permitted to play any game  or  games  of
bingo conducted pursuant to any license issued under this article unless
accompanied by an adult. No person under the age of eighteen years shall
be  permitted  to  conduct or assist in the conduct of any game of bingo
conducted pursuant to any license issued under this  article;  PROVIDED,
HOWEVER,  THAT  A  PERSON  UNDER  THE  AGE  OF EIGHTEEN YEARS AND WHO IS
FIFTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER  SHALL  BE  PERMITTED  TO  ASSIST  IN  THE
CONDUCT OF ANY GAME OF BINGO IF ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT.
  S  9.  Section 487 of the general municipal law, as amended by chapter
72 of the laws of 1982, is amended to read as follows:
  S 487. Frequency of game; sale of  alcoholic  beverages.  No  game  or
games  of  bingo,  except limited period bingo, shall be conducted under
any license issued under this article  more  often  than  on  [eighteen]
TWENTY-SEVEN  days  in any three successive calendar months.  No game or
games of limited period bingo shall be conducted between  the  hours  of
twelve  midnight postmeridian and noon, and no more than sixty games may
be conducted on any single occasion of limited period bingo. No game  or
games  of  bingo  shall  be  conducted in any room or outdoor area where
alcoholic beverages are sold, served or consumed during the progress  of
the game or games.

S. 6594                             6

  S  10.  Subdivision  1 of section 488 of the general municipal law, as
amended by chapter 337 of the laws  of  1998,  is  amended  to  read  as
follows:
  1.  No  person  shall hold, operate or conduct any game of bingo under
any license issued under this article  except  a  bona  fide  member  OR
AUXILIARY  MEMBER of the authorized organization to which the license is
issued[, and]. FURTHERMORE, no person shall assist in the holding, oper-
ating or conducting of any game of bingo under such license except  such
a bona fide member or [a bona fide] AUXILIARY member [of an organization
or  association  which  is  an  auxiliary to the licensee or a bona fide
member of an organization or association of which such  licensee  is  an
auxiliary  or a bona fide member of an organization or association which
is affiliated with the licensee by being, with it, auxiliary to  another
organization  or  association  and  except bookkeepers or accountants as
hereinafter provided]. Provided, however,  any  person  may  assist  the
licensed organization in any activity related to the game of bingo which
does not actually involve the holding, conducting, managing or operating
of  such  game  of  bingo.  No game of bingo shall be conducted with any
equipment except such as shall be owned  absolutely  or  leased  by  the
authorized  organization  so  licensed  or  used  without payment of any
compensation therefor by the licensee.  Lease terms and conditions shall
be subject to rules and regulations promulgated by the board. This arti-
cle shall not be construed to authorize or permit an  authorized  organ-
ization  to  engage  in the business of leasing bingo supplies or equip-
ment. No items of expense shall be incurred or paid in  connection  with
the conducting of any game of bingo pursuant to any license issued under
this  article,  except  those  that  are  reasonable and are necessarily
expended for bingo supplies and equipment, prizes, stated rental if any,
bookkeeping or accounting services according to a  schedule  of  compen-
sation  prescribed  by  the  [commission] BOARD, janitorial services and
utility supplies if any, and license fees, REIMBURSEMENT  OF  REASONABLE
EXPENSES  INCURRED  BY VOLUNTEERS WHO DONATE THEIR TIME TO HOLD, OPERATE
OR CONDUCT OR ASSIST IN THE CONDUCT OF SUCH GAMES, and the cost  of  bus
transportation, if authorized by the [control commission] BOARD.
  S  11. Section 490 of the general municipal law, as amended by chapter
99 of the laws of 1988, is amended to read as follows:
  S 490. Advertising of  bingo  games.  A  licensee  may  advertise  the
conduct  of an occasion of bingo to the general public by means of news-
paper, radio, circular, handbill [and], poster, ELECTRONIC  MAIL,  ELEC-
TRONIC  COMMUNICATIONS  AND GOVERNMENT ACCESS TELEVISION BROADCASTS, and
by one sign not exceeding sixty  square  feet  in  area,  which  may  be
displayed on or adjacent to the premises owned or occupied by a licensed
authorized organization, and when an organization is licensed to conduct
bingo occasions on the premises of another licensed authorized organiza-
tion or of a licensed commercial lessor, one additional such sign may be
displayed  on  or adjacent to the premises in which the occasions are to
be conducted. Additional signs may be displayed  upon  any  firefighting
equipment  belonging  to any licensed authorized organization which is a
volunteer fire company, or upon any equipment of a first aid  or  rescue
squad,  OR  VOLUNTEER  AMBULANCE COMPANY in and throughout the community
served by such volunteer fire company or such first aid or rescue squad,
OR VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE COMPANY, as the case may be.  All  advertisements
shall  be  limited to the description of such event as "bingo", the name
of the licensed authorized organization conducting such  occasions,  the
license  number  of the authorized organization as assigned by the clerk
and the date, location and time of the bingo occasion.

S. 6594                             7

  S 12. Subdivision 1 of section 491 of the general  municipal  law,  as
amended  by  chapter  667  of  the  laws  of 1980, is amended to read as
follows:
  1.  Within  [seven]  TEN  days after the conclusion of any occasion of
bingo, the authorized organization which conducted  the  same,  and  its
members  who  were in charge thereof, and when applicable the authorized
organization which rented its premises therefor, shall each  furnish  to
the  clerk  of  the municipality a statement subscribed by the member in
charge and affirmed by him OR HER as true, under the penalties of perju-
ry, showing the amount of the gross receipts derived therefrom and  each
item  of expense incurred, or paid, and each item of expenditure made or
to be made, the name and address of each person to whom each  such  item
has  been  paid,  or  is  to be paid, with a detailed description of the
merchandise  purchased  or  the  services  rendered  therefor,  the  net
proceeds  derived  from such game or rental, as the case may be, and the
use to which such proceeds have been or are to be applied and a list  of
prizes  offered  and  given,  with the respective values thereof, and it
shall be the duty of each licensee to maintain and keep such  books  and
records as may be necessary to substantiate the particulars of each such
statement and within fifteen days after the end of each calendar quarter
during  which  there has been any occasion of bingo, a summary statement
of such information, in form prescribed by the state, shall be furnished
in the same manner to the [state racing and wagering] board.
  S 13. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
ing the date on which it shall have become a law.

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Senate Bill S6594

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Racing, Gaming And Wagering Committee

co-Sponsors

2011-S6594 (ACTIVE) - Details

2011-S6594 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2011-S6594 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2011-S6594 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S6594

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Sponsored By

Jeffrey D. Klein

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Racing, Gaming And Wagering Committee

co-Sponsors

David Carlucci

2011-S6594 (ACTIVE) - Details

2011-S6594 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2011-S6594 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2011-S6594 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments