S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1487
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 12, 2017
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Introduced by M. of A. ZEBROWSKI, ABBATE, LUPARDO, SCHIMMINGER, GUNTHER,
M. G. 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:
§ 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-YYYY 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 SEVENTEEN.
§ 2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 97-yyyy
to read as follows:
§ 97-YYYY. 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.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04507-01-7
A. 1487 2
2. MONIES OF THE FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED ONLY FOR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH
ASSISTANCE FOR VETERANS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, EDUCATION, HOUS-
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.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law.