BILL NUMBER: S8100

SPONSOR: O'MARA
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend chapter 122 of the laws of 2000,
amending the environmental conservation law relating to authorizing
sweepstakes with respect to subscriptions to "The Conservationist", in
relation to the effectiveness thereof

 
PURPOSE OF THE BILL:

The purpose of this bill is to extend for three years the Department of
Environmental Conservation's (DEC) authority to conduct sweepstakes to
increase the number of Conservationist magazine subscribers.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of this bill would amend Chapter 122 of the Laws of 2000 to
extend through August 1, 2021 provisions applicable to Environmental
Conservation Law (ECL) § 3-0301(2)(y), which authorizes DEC to engage in
sweepstakes or contests intended to stabilize, improve or otherwise
increase the subscriber base of the Conservationist magazine.
              

Section 2 of this bill provides for an immediate effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

DEC issues the Conservationist, a New York State-focused magazine that
contains informative and entertaining articles, photography and artwork.
Articles cover a broad range of environmental and natural history
related topics, including fishing, hiking, outdoor recreation, travel,
hunting, and nature study. Published six times a year, the Conservation-
ist has been published continuously since 1946 and has approximately
80,000 paid subscribers and an equal number of secondary readers in
schools, libraries and homes throughout the state.

Marketing research on magazine promotion demonstrates that sweepstakes
are the most effective strategy to increase renewal and new subscriber
response rates. DEC has conducted sweepstakes on several occasions in
the past to generate sales and to increase renewal rates. Each year at
the New York State Fair, including in 2014, we offer a significant prize
(e.g. a canoe, a lifetime fishing license, or its equivalent) to gener-
ate interest in the magazine, to increase subscription sales at the
booth and to improve renewal rates of existing subscribers.

In order for DEC to sustain its high quality magazine product in a cost-
effective manner there needs to be sufficient subscribers to create
economies of scale for printing contract costs. DEC dedicates all
subscription revenues to a Special Revenue Other fund to support maga-
zine production costs. To maintain that fund and produce a quality prod-
uct for current and potential subscribers, DEC needs continued authority
to conduct sweepstakes with respect to the Conservationist. DEC's
current authority to conduct sweepstakes is set to expire on August 1,
2018.

 
BUDGET IMPLICATIONS:

In addition to increasing the renewal rates of current subscribers, DEC
projects that holding a sweepstakes could result in an increase of

approximately 5,000 new Conservationist subscribers, and a concomitant
increase in revenue of $50,000 to the Conservation Fund.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act would take effect immediately.