What's happening
This bill creates a Problem Gambling Advisory Council to recommend strategies for preventing and treating problem gambling in New York.
Why it matters
Broad Representation and Expertise. The council includes a wide range of members from government agencies, legislative appointees, and community-based behavioral health providers, ensuring diverse perspectives in addressing problem gambling.
Holistic Strategy Development. The council is tasked not just with making recommendations, but also with creating actionable strategies for prevention, treatment, and increasing public awareness of problem gambling across New York State.
Direct Impact on Funding Decisions. By recommending how revenues from gaming machine and table fees should be allocated, the council could influence the amount and direction of funding for problem gambling programs and services.
Accountability and Transparency. With requirements for open meetings and annual public reports to the governor and legislature, the council’s activities will be subject to oversight, potentially increasing government transparency in this area.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create Gambling Advisory Council
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to alcoholism and substance abuse
- Committed to rules
- Amended on third reading 3103a
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.228
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to alcoholism and substance abuse
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.
Create Gambling Advisory Council
In Senate Committee · Alcoholism And Substance Abuse · Sponsor Linda Rosenthal
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3103--A Cal. No. 228
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 4, 2019
Introduced by Sens. BIAGGI, GAUGHRAN, GOUNARDES -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse -- reported favorably from said committee and committed to the Committee on Finance -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first and second report, ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing the problem gambling advisory council
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section 25.04 to read as follows: § 25.04 Problem gambling advisory council.
(a) Creation and purpose. The problem gambling advisory council (hereinafter the "council") is hereby established. The purpose of the council is to make findings and recommendations to the governor and legislature on how to prevent and treat problem gambling in the state of New York.
(b) Composition. The council shall consist of thirteen members, including the commissioner of the office of alcoholism and substance abuse services, the chair of the gaming commission, and eleven additional members: four members appointed by the temporary president of the senate; four members appointed by the speaker of the assembly; one member appointed by the minority leader of the senate; one member appointed by the minority leader of the assembly; and one member appointed by the governor; provided, however, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly shall each appoint at least two representatives of community-based behavioral health services providers.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04068-03-9
S. 3103--A 2
(c) Duties of the council. The council shall meet as frequently as necessary, but not less than two times per year. Meetings shall be held at locations determined by the council. All meetings of the council shall be subject to the open meetings law. The council shall:
1. develop and recommend strategies to ensure availability and access to problem gambling programs and resources, including information and resources regarding prevention of problem gambling, for individuals throughout the state;
2. consult with individuals or organizations with experience in the field of problem gambling services on funding and policy recommendations, including the availability of problem gambling services, the location of such services, and the need for such services;
3. create strategies to increase public awareness of problem gambling and the availability of problem gambling resources;
4. recommend allocations of machine and table fees collected from a gaming licensee pursuant to section thirteen hundred forty-eight of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law and distributed pursuant to section ninety-seven-nnnn of the state finance law to effectuate the recommendations and strategies developed pursuant to paragraphs one, two and three of this subdivision; and
5. develop an annual report to be provided to the governor and legislature containing its findings and recommendations with regard to problem gambling, including programs, resources, and services throughout the state. The annual report shall be due no later than October first of each year, with the first report provided no later than the first of October next succeeding the effective date of this section.
(d) Term. Appointed members of the council shall serve for a term of four years and continue to serve until their successor is appointed. Each member of the council shall be entitled to designate in writing a representative to attend meetings in his or her place and to vote or otherwise act on his or her behalf in his or her absence. A member appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve the remainder of the term of the member he or she is appointed to succeed. The members of the council shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for their expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder. The council shall select, by a majority vote, members to serve as a chair and as a secretary.
(e) Sharing of information. The council may request, and shall receive, information from any state or local governmental agency necessary to complete its duties pursuant to this section, so long as such information does not contain any personally identifying information and not otherwise protected by state or federal law.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing the problem gambling advisory council
Purpose
This bill creates a problem gambling advisory council.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one amends the mental hygiene law by adding a new section 25.04 mapping out the purpose, composition, duties, etc. of the problem gambl- ing advisory council.
Section two sets forth the effective date.
Justification
A survey conducted by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) found that five percent of adults, or 668,000 individuals, exhibited problem gambling behaviors within the past year. Another survey of seventh through twelfth grade students revealed that ten percent, or 140,000 students, showed signs of problem gambling in the past 12 months and another ten percent of those students were in need of treatment for problem gambling. Of those students in the survey who were identified as in need of chemical dependency treatment, forty five percent were at risk or in need of treatment for problem gambling.
Research has found that proximity to casinos increases the rate of prob- lem gambling among the local population. The National Gambling Impact Study Commission showed that casinos within a 50 mile radius of an indi- vidual's home can double the prevalence of problem gambling. The Buffalo Research Institute on Addiction, in its own study, claimed that having a casino within 10 miles of a home has a significant effect on the prevalence of problem gambling in the home. Currently, New York State has five casinos operated by Native Americans and nine independ- ently operated racinos; combined they operate approximately 29,000 elec- tronic gambling machines, which is more than any state in the Northeast or Midwest. New York continues to expand its existing gaming market with the addition of up to four new casinos, which could increase signif- icantly the risk of more individuals developing a gambling problem.
It is evident that there is a growing need to promote awareness of and access to problem gambling services. The development of a Problem Gambl- ing Advisory Council will help to identify issues affecting those suffering from a problem gambling disorder and recommend ways to make prevention and treatment more accessible throughout the state.
As part of the enacted legislation that established the ability for new casino development in New York, the Legislature required casinos to deposit $500 annually into the Commercial Gaming Revenue Fund for every slot machine or table approved by the Commission. Such funds are required to be used exclusively for problem gambling education and treatment purposes. While such an infusion of resources to fund services for problem gambling will be instrumental, it is imperative that there
is proper oversight to ensure the resources are used as effectively as possible.
Legislative history
2017-18: A.5081-A - Passed Assembly 2015-16: A.7058-A - Reported to Ways and Means
Fiscal implications
Undetermined.
Effective date
This bill shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.