What's happening
This bill allows organizations to hold licensed games of chance on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day in New York.
Why it matters
Removes restrictions on charitable gaming. By allowing licensed games of chance on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day, the bill enables nonprofit and charitable organizations to raise funds on high-attendance holidays when many community members may be available to participate.
Reflects changing social norms. The amendment recognizes that traditional bans on gaming during religious holidays may not align with the values or needs of all New Yorkers, supporting increased flexibility for diverse communities.
Could boost local fundraising efforts. Organizations that rely on games of chance as a significant fundraising tool may benefit financially from being able to hold events on two major holidays, potentially increasing their annual revenue and ability to support community services.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Permit Holiday Charity Games
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to racing and wagering
- Referred to racing and wagering
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Permit Holiday Games of Chance
In Senate Committee · Racing, Gaming And Wagering · Sponsor Betty Little
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1566
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 15, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. JONES, LAVINE, BLAKE, COOK, RIVERA, MIKULIN -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. EPSTEIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Racing and Wagering
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to allowing an authorized organization to receive a license to hold a game of chance on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 195 of the general municipal law, as amended by chapter 461 of the laws of 2003, is amended to read as follows:
§ 195. Sunday; conduct of games on. Except as provided in section one hundred ninety-five-b of this article, no games of chance shall be conducted under any license issued under this article on the first day of the week, commonly known and designated as Sunday, unless it shall be otherwise provided in the license issued for the conducting thereof, pursuant to the provisions of a local law or an ordinance duly adopted by the governing body of the municipality wherein the license is issued, authorizing the conduct of games of chance under this article on that day [only between the hours of noon and midnight. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section no games of chance shall be conducted on Easter Sunday or Christmas Day].
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03240-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.