Extends the effectiveness of provisions relating to authorizing sweepstakes with respect to subscriptions to "The Conservationist" from August 1, 2015 to August 1, 2018.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7917
SPONSOR: Kaminsky (MS) TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend chapter 122 of the laws of 2000,
amending the environmental conservation law relating to authorizing
sweepstakes with respect to subscriptions to "The Conservationist," in
relation to the effectiveness thereof
PURPOSE OF THE BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to extend for three years the Department of
Environmental Conservation's (DEC) authority to conduct sweepstakes to
increase the number of Conservationist magazine subscribers.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of this bill amends Chapter 122 of the Laws of 2000 to extend
until August 1, 2018 Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) §
3-0301(2)(y), which authorizes DEC to engage in sweepstakes or contests
intended to stabilize, improve, or otherwise increase the subscriber
base of the Conservationist magazine.
Section 2 of this bill provides for an immediate effective date.
EXISTING LAW:
DEC currently has authority to conduct sweepstakes under ECL §
3-0301(2)(y); however, pursuant to Chapter 122 of the laws of 2000, this
authority expires on August 1, 2015.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
DEC was originally granted authority to engage in sweepstakes to
increase the subscribers of the Conservationist magazine in 1995 (Chap-
ter 548 of the Laws of 1995). This authority expired on August 1, 1999.
Chapter 122 of the Laws of 2000 granted this authority until August 1,
2003. This authority has been extended every three years since that
time, and was last extended by Chapter 36 of the Laws of 2012.
STATEMENT IN SUPPORT:
DEC issues the Conservationist, a New York State-focused magazine that
contains informative and entertaining articles, photography, and
artwork. Articles cover a broad range of environmental and natural
history related topics, including fishing, hiking, outdoor recreation,
travel, hunting, and nature study. Published six times a year, the
Conservationist has been published continuously since 1946 and has
approximately 80,000 paid subscribers and an equal number of secondary
readers in schools, libraries and homes throughout the state.
Marketing research on magazine promotion demonstrates that sweepstakes
are the most effective strategy to increase renewal and new subscriber
response rates. DEC has conducted sweepstakes on several occasions in
the past to generate sales and to increase renewal rates. Each year at
the New York State Fair, DEC offers a significant prize (e.g. a canoe, a
lifetime fishing license) to generate interest in the magazine, to
increase subscription sales at the booth, and to improve renewal rates
of existing subscribers.
In order for DEC to sustain its high quality magazine product in a cost-
effective manner there needs to be sufficient subscribers to create
economies of scale for printing contract costs. All subscription reven-
ues are deposited in a dedicated fund to support magazine production
costs. Continued authority to conduct sweepstakes with respect to the
Conservationist will ensure that DEC can continue to produce a quality
product for current and potential subscribers.
BUDGET IMPLICATIONS:
In addition to increasing the renewal rates of current subscribers, DEC
projects that holding a sweepstakes could result in an increase of
approximately 5,000 new Conservationist subscribers, and a concomitant
increase in revenue of $50,000 to the Conservation Fund.
LOCAL IMPACT:
This bill would have no impact on local governments.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7917
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
June 1, 2015
___________
Introduced by M. of A. KAMINSKY, ENGLEBRIGHT -- (at request of the
Department of Environmental Conservation) -- read once and referred to
the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend chapter 122 of the laws of 2000, amending the environ-
mental conservation law relating to authorizing sweepstakes with
respect to subscriptions to "The Conservationist," in relation to the
effectiveness thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 3 of chapter 122 of the laws of 2000, amending the
2 environmental conservation law relating to authorizing sweepstakes with
3 respect to subscriptions to "The Conservationist," as amended by chapter
4 36 of the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
5 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
6 deemed repealed August 1, [2015] 2018.
7 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09446-01-5
