BILL NUMBER:  S1275

 TITLE OF BILL :  CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY
proposing an amendment to section 9 of article 1 of the constitution,
in relation to authorizing a lottery game for a community grant fund,
which fund shall be dedicated to certain community groups

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Article 1, Section 9 of the State Constitution would be amended to
allow for an additional exception to the prohibition on all gambling
to include the creation of a separate lottery game the proceeds of
which shall be applied exclusively to a community grant fund to be
created by such legislation, which fund shall be dedicated to
community groups administering educational, recreational, cultural,
senior, veterans or social service programs or providing volunteer
ambulance services as authorized and prescribed by the legislature.

 EXISTING LAW :

Article 1, Section 9 of the State Constitution generally proscribes
all gambling except for four exceptions. These four exceptions are:
(1) pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing; (2) State lotteries; (3)
bingo conducted by certain charitable, non-profit and religious
organizations; and (4) games of chance conducted by these same
charitable, non-profit, and religious organizations.
              

 JUSTIFICATION :

A constitutional amendment is required before a separate lottery game
may be created whose proceeds would be used to exclusively fund a
"Community Grant Fund" program that would in turn be dedicated to
community groups administering educational, recreational, and
cultural, senior, veterans or social services programs or providing
volunteer ambulance services.

Since 2010, the executive branch of the state has ceased any
allocation of discretionary funds that could be used to fund local
programs in legislators' districts. The loss of these funds has placed
tremendous financial burden on local groups that have relied on this
supportive funding to provide vital community programs to the state's
residents.

This loss is on top of already draconian budget cuts that occurred in
2011 and the loss of private funding sources that began to disappear
as a result of the national economic crises in 2008.

Community programs have been left in the cold in their efforts to
provide educational, recreational, cultural, senior or veterans
programs or providing volunteer ambulance services to communities that
have relied on those services for years. This includes things like
senior centers, youth sports programs like Little League, afterschool
programs and many, many other important community based programs.

The new lottery game proceeds that will be dedicated to the "Community
Grant Fund" will enable these important community programs to continue
to operate.

The state government cannot keep asking our citizens to bear the
tremendous burden of cuts in services to due state budget deficits and
simultaneously remove funding sources that are depended upon by local
community groups that often step in to fill the void left when state
government services are reduced or eliminated.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2015-2016, S.941/A.3362 (Weprin)
2013-2014, S.330/A.2370(Weprin)
2011-2012, S.7276-B

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
Resolved (if the concur), that the foregoing amendment be referred to
the first regular legislative session convening after the next
succeeding general election of members of the assembly, and, in
conformity with section 1 of article 19 of the constitution, be
published for 3 months previous to the time of such election.