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

                                  1972

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 13, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. ZEBROWSKI, ABBATE, LUPARDO, SCHIMMINGER, GUNTHER,
  MILLER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

AN  ACT to amend the tax law, in relation to authorizing the creation of
  the veteran assistance lottery game and to  amend  the  state  finance
  law, in relation to establishing the veterans' assistance fund

  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 OF THE  DIVI-
SION OF LOTTERY SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT NO MORE THAN TWO SCRATCH-OFF
LOTTERY  GAMES  WHOSE  REVENUE,  AFTER  PAYMENT OF PRIZES AND ASSOCIATED
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF SUCH GAMES, SHALL BE DEPOSITED  IN  THE  VETERAN
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 OF  LOTTERY.
THIS SECTION SHALL NOT DIMINISH ANY EFFORTS OR FUNDING FOR OTHER LOTTERY
GAMES  UNDER  THE  CONTROL OF THE DIVISION OF LOTTERY. EACH TICKET SHALL
CLEARLY STATE THAT ALL PROCEEDS FROM TICKET SALES GO TOWARDS THE  VETER-
ANS' 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 FIFTEEN.
  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,  EDUCATION,  HOUS-

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD00658-01-5
              

A. 1972                             2

ING, MEDICAL EXPENSES AND JOB TRAINING. MONIES SHALL BE PAYABLE FROM THE
FUND  BY  THE  COMPTROLLER  ON  VOUCHERS  APPROVED BY THE NEW YORK STATE
DIRECTOR OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS.
  3.  THE  NEW  YORK  STATE DIRECTOR OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS SHALL CREATE A
DIRECT GRANT PROGRAM THAT WILL DISPERSE  FUNDS  TO  INDIVIDUAL  VETERANS
BASED  ON NEED. THE INDIVIDUAL GRANTS SHALL BE AWARDED THROUGH AN APPLI-
CATION PROCESS BASED ON CRITERIA CREATED WITHIN SUCH PROGRAM. THE  FUND-
ING  FOR  VETERAN  ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES SHOULD BE APPLIED IN
AREAS WHERE THE NEED IS THE MOST FOR VETERANS IN NEW YORK STATE.
  4. MONIES SHALL  BE  CREDITED  TOWARDS  THE  FUND  IN  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 MINIMAL 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.