BILL NO A07836
SAME AS SAME AS S06932
SPONSOR Cymbrowitz (MS)
COSPNSR Cahill, Crespo
MLTSPNSR Benedetto, Brennan, Clark, Colton, Cook, Fitzpatrick, Gabryszak,
Hikind, Jaffee, Peoples-Stokes, Rivera, Sweeney, Thiele
Amd S19.09, Ment Hyg L
Authorizes and directs the commissioner of mental health to commission a
statewide evaluation regarding the extent of legal and illegal gambling by New
York state residents.
BILL NO A07836
06/05/2013 referred to alcoholism and drug abuse
06/13/2013 reported referred to ways and means
06/19/2013 reported referred to rules
06/19/2013 reported
06/19/2013 rules report cal.558
06/19/2013 ordered to third reading rules cal.558
06/20/2013 passed assembly
06/20/2013 delivered to senate
06/20/2013 REFERRED TO RULES
01/08/2014 DIED IN SENATE
01/08/2014 RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY
01/08/2014 ordered to third reading cal.383
01/22/2014 committed to alcoholism and drug abuse
04/01/2014 reported referred to ways and means
05/19/2014 reported
05/22/2014 advanced to third reading cal.763
05/29/2014 passed assembly
05/29/2014 delivered to senate
05/29/2014 REFERRED TO FINANCE
BILL NUMBER:A7836
TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to
commissioning a statewide evaluation regarding the extent of legal and
illegal gambling by New York residents
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to mitigate the social costs related to
problem gambling by conducting a social impact study on problem
gambling.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Amends 19.09 of mental hygiene law by requiring the commissioner of
the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services in consultation
with the New York State Gaming Commission to conduct a statewide
evaluation regarding the e:tent of legal and illegal gambling by New
York State residents.
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
problem gambling among the local population. The National Gambling
Impact Study Commission showed that casinos within a 50 mile radius of
an individual'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 problem gambling. Currently, New York State has five casinos
operated by Native Americans and nine independently operated racinos;
combined they operate approximately 29,000 electronic gambling
machines, which is more than any state in the Northeast or Midwest.
New York continues to expand its existing gaming market and if
non-tribal casino gaming is legalized, permitting up to seven new
casinos to be established, the risk of more individuals developing a
gambling problem could increase significantly.
While it is important that New York State continue to conduct surveys
that determine the prevalence of problem gambling and illustrate the
need for prevention and treatment services, additional research that
measures the social impact of problem gambling is sorely needed.
Directing such research would allow the State to pinpoint which social
costs associated with problem gambling are most predominant among New
York's identified problem gamblers and have also been detected in
communities impacted by the presence of a casino. By having this
information, New York State and its public officials will be able-to
develop a comprehensive plan comprised of precise policies and
regulations that aim to mitigate the social costs related to problem
gambling. Another benefit from obtaining this data is that it will
enable the problem gambling service providers and the casino industry
to implement strategies and interventions that target the specific
problem gambling needs of each local community and its citizens.
This bill would help to reduce the social costs associated with
problem gambling by requiring OASAS to conduct a problem gambling
social impact study.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Undetermined
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
7836
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
June 5, 2013
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CYMBROWITZ -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.
BENEDETTO, CLARK, COLTON, COOK, FITZPATRICK, GABRYSZAK, GIBSON,
HIKIND, JAFFEE, MAISEL, PEOPLES-STOKES, RIVERA, SWEENEY, THIELE --
read once and referred to the Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to commissioning a
statewide evaluation regarding the extent of legal and illegal gambl-
ing by New York residents
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
1 Section 1. Section 19.09 of the mental hygiene law is amended by
2 adding a new subdivision (i) to read as follows:
3 (I) THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE NEW YORK STATE GAMING
4 COMMISSION, IS AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO COMMISSION A STATEWIDE EVALU-
5 ATION REGARDING THE EXTENT OF LEGAL AND ILLEGAL GAMBLING BY NEW YORK
6 STATE RESIDENTS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE LOTTERY, HORSE
7 RACING, NATIVE AMERICAN CASINOS, INTERNET GAMBLING, SPORTS BETTING, AND
8 POKER. SUCH EVALUATION SHALL BE DELIVERED TO THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLA-
9 TURE NO LATER THAN DECEMBER FIRST, TWO THOUSAND SEVENTEEN. THE EVALU-
10 ATION SHALL BE PREPARED BY AN INDEPENDENT ENTITY AND SELECTED THROUGH A
11 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS.
12 (1) SUCH EVALUATION SHALL INCLUDE:
13 (A) THE PERCENTAGE OF NEW YORK RESIDENTS PARTICIPATING IN EACH GAMBL-
14 ING ACTIVITY BY:
15 (I) AGE;
16 (II) RACE;
17 (III) INCOME;
18 (IV) EDUCATION;
19 (V) SEX; AND
20 (VI) ANY OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WOULD BE RELEVANT TO THE EVALUATION;
21 AND
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11389-02-3
A. 7836 2
1 (B) AN ESTIMATE OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY BEING WAGERED AND LOST BY NEW
2 YORK RESIDENTS IN EACH GAMBLING ACTIVITY.
3 (2) SUCH EVALUATION SHALL PROVIDE A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE RELATION-
4 SHIPS BETWEEN PROBLEM GAMBLING AND BANKRUPTCY, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,
5 SUICIDE, CRIME, AND ANY OTHER SOCIAL PROBLEM THAT IS RELEVANT TO THE
6 EVALUATION.
7 S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
