NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6555A
SPONSOR: Woerner TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the tax law, in relation to requiring the state to keep
state lottery winners' identities anonymous to the general public if
requested by the lottery winner
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To shield the identity of lottery winners for their own personal privacy
and safety.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends section 1613 of the tax law to add a new subdivision
a-1 that prevents the Division of the Lottery from publicly disclosing
the name, address, or other identifying information of any holder of a
winning ticket or requiring a winning ticket holder to perform, any
public actions in connection with the awarding, payment, or collection
of prize moneys if requested by the holder of the winning ticket. Upon
receipt of their winnings, the holder of the winning ticket must be
notified of this option and the division must not disclose any informa-
tion about the winner until 30 days after the notification.
Section 2 provides the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
There have been incidences of violent crime, including murder against
several winners of large lottery prizes. In addition, many have been
victims of fraud. and abuse ha illicit firms that advertise as wealth
managers or financial planners. A winner of the Pear York State lottery
should be able to decide if they wish to remain anonymous. Maryland,
Delaware, Kansas, North Dakota, Ohio, and South Carolina allow lottery
winners to remain anonymous.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: A1807 - Referred to Racing Gaming and Wagering, Passed Senate,
Delivered to Assembly, Referred to Ways and Means
2023: S1807 - Referred to Racing Gaming and Wagering
2022: S1452 - Referred to Racing Gaming and Wagering A907 - Referred to
Racing and Wagering
2021: S1452 - Referred to Racing and Wagering A907 - Referred to to
Racing Gaming and Wagering
2020: S7267 - Referred to Racing and Wagering A1574 - Referred to Racing
and Wagering
2019: SS466 - Referred to Racing and Wagering to Racing Gaming and
Wagering A1574 - Referred to Racing and Wagering
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act would take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6555--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 6, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. WOERNER, BUTTENSCHON, ROMERO, KAY, BURDICK, SHIM-
SKY, McDONALD, BEEPHAN, SMULLEN, HAWLEY, K. BROWN, CHANG, TAGUE,
GLICK, BURROUGHS, KASSAY, LUNSFORD, LEVENBERG, GRIFFIN -- read once
and referred to the Committee on Racing and Wagering -- committee
discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
to said committee
AN ACT to amend the tax law, in relation to requiring the state to keep
state lottery winners' identities anonymous to the general public if
requested by the lottery winner
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 1613 of the tax law is amended by adding a new
2 subdivision a-1 to read as follows:
3 a-1. Upon request of a holder of a winning ticket, the division shall
4 not publicly disclose the name, address or other identifying information
5 of such holder of a winning ticket or require such winning ticket holder
6 to perform any public actions in connection with the awarding, payment
7 or collection of prize moneys. Upon payment of prizes to holders of the
8 tickets to which prizes are awarded, the holder of a winning ticket
9 shall be notified by the division of their ability to make such request.
10 The division shall not publicly disclose the name, address or other
11 identifying information of a holder of a winning ticket or require a
12 winning ticket holder to perform any public actions in connection with
13 the awarding, payment or collection of prize moneys within thirty days
14 after such notification has been made to the holder of a winning ticket.
15 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06879-02-5
