What's happening
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment allowing a state lottery game to fund community grants for nonprofit groups providing local services.
Why it matters
Expands lottery funding beyond education. This amendment would break with the current constitutional restriction that state lottery proceeds can only fund education, allowing funds to also support a broader array of community-based nonprofit services.
Targets local nonprofit organizations. Only groups organized under specific federal tax code sections (501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4)), such as charities, social welfare organizations, volunteer ambulance corps, and groups serving veterans, seniors, or cultural needs, would be eligible for grants—potentially strengthening local social safety nets.
Creates a dedicated revenue stream for community services. By establishing a separate lottery game specifically for these grants, the amendment ensures that funding for nonprofits would not compete with or detract from existing education funding streams.
Could increase state support for underserved populations. The focus on nonprofits delivering educational, recreational, cultural, social, and emergency services means the amendment may help address funding gaps in areas often reliant on private donations or inconsistent government grants.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Lottery Funds Community Grants
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Opinion referred to judiciary
- To attorney-general for opinion
- Referred to ways and means
- Opinion referred to judiciary
- To attorney-general for opinion
- Referred to ways and means
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3925
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 31, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
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
Section 1. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That subdivision 1 of section 9 of article 1 of the constitution be amended to read as follows:
1. No law shall be passed abridging the rights of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government, or any department thereof; nor shall any divorce be granted otherwise than by due judicial proceedings; except as hereinafter provided, no lottery or the sale of lottery tickets, pool-selling, book-making, or any other kind of gambling, except lotteries operated by the state and the sale of lottery tickets in connection therewith as may be authorized and prescribed by the legislature, the net proceeds of which shall be applied exclusively to or in aid or support of education in this state as the legislature may prescribe, except that the legislature may enact legislation authorizing 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 organized pursuant to paragraph three or four of subdivision (c) of section five hundred one of the internal revenue code of nineteen hundred eighty-six, as amended, administering educational, recreational, cultural, senior, veterans or social services programs or providing volunteer ambulance services, as the legislature may prescribe, except pari-mutuel betting on horse races as may be prescribed by the legislature and from which the state shall derive a reasonable revenue for the support of government, and except casino gambling at no more than seven facilities as authorized and prescribed by the legislature shall hereafter be authorized or allowed within this state; and the legislature
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD89093-01-9
A. 3925 2
shall pass appropriate laws to prevent offenses against any of the provisions of this section.
§ 2. Resolved (if the Senate 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.
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.