Authorizes the creation of the community group assistance lottery game and establishes the community grant fund

Section 2 of the bill amends the state finance law by adding a new section 97-1111 that creates the community grant fund as follows:

a. The fund will be in the sole custody of the state comptroller and monies to the fund shall and not co-mingled with other funds in the custody of the comptroller.

b. Monies of the fund shall be expended only for costs associated with assistance for community groups (organized as IRS 501(c)(3) or (c)(4) entities) administering educational, recreational, cultural, senior, veterans or social services programs or providing volunteer ambulance services.

c. Each county in the state shall establish a regional community grant fund board to administer the funds directed to each county. Appointments to such a regional community grant fund board shall include. but need not be limited to, the county executive, one member of the assembly and one member of the senate representing an election district in which all or a portion of the relevant county is located, such legislative members to be appointed by the governor, and such other members as may be deemed necessary or appropriate by the county executive.

d. The funding for community groups coming from the revenue generated by the community groups assistance lottery game shall be allocated to each county in proportion to the number of lottery sales that took place in each county. Each regional community grant fund board shall create a district grant program that will disperse funds to individual groups based on need. Individual grants will be awarded through an application process based on criteria created by each board consistent with the purposes of this section and section 1621 of the tax law.

e. 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 community groups assistance lottery game.

f. 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 each direct grant program.

Section 3 of the bill sets forth an effective date of ninety days after it shall have become a law.

Justification

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 and veterans programs or 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

New Bill.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

The act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.