Establishes the legislative task force on responsible gaming to develop policies and procedures that foster responsible gaming practices by gaming facilities in New York state.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7796
IN SENATE
June 19, 2012
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Introduced by Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT in relation to establishing the legislative task force on respon-
sible gaming
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Legislative findings. a. The legislature hereby finds that
2 the recently enacted 2012-2013 New York state budget amended the state
3 constitution to allow for non-tribal casino gaming in New York. It also
4 included provisions to create a New York state gaming commission, as a
5 result of the merger between the division of lottery and the racing and
6 wagering board. The commission is charged with oversight of the division
7 of lottery, the division of charitable gaming, the division of gaming,
8 and the division of horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering. This legisla-
9 tive action consolidated the state's gaming regulatory functions under a
10 single oversight body.
11 b. The legislature further finds that the development of policies and
12 procedures that foster responsible gaming practices by gaming facilities
13 licensed or enfranchised by the New York state gaming commission or its
14 divisions is necessary to mitigate the risks or consequences associated
15 with problem gambling. The legislature concludes that this can be best
16 accomplished by the creation of a task force on responsible gaming.
17 § 2. Legislative task force on responsible gaming. A legislative task
18 force on responsible gaming is hereby established to:
19 (a) Identify policies and programs that mitigate the risks and conse-
20 quences associated with compulsive gambling and promote responsible
21 gaming practices for all gaming activities authorized in New York state.
22 (b) Recommend policies and procedures to be promulgated in regulations
23 by the New York state gaming commission and its divisions to ensure
24 responsible gaming in all facilities licensed or enfranchised by such
25 commission or divisions.
26 (c) Recommend a structure by which all responsible gaming regulations
27 promulgated by the commission or its divisions shall be enforced,
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15685-05-2
S. 7796 2
1 including but not limited to penalties for violations of regulatory
2 standards and corrective action.
3 (d) Identifying methods to measure effectiveness of any responsible
4 gaming procedures implemented.
5 (e) Identify and recommend provisions necessary to ensure responsible
6 gaming practices to be included in enabling legislation authorizing
7 casino style gaming facilities in New York state.
8 § 3. Composition. The task force shall consist of eleven members.
9 Task force members appointed or designated shall have experience and
10 expertise in one or more of the following areas:
11 1) the prevention of problem gambling;
12 2) the treatment of problem gambling;
13 3) administration of problem gambling programs within a gaming facili-
14 ty.
15 The task force shall consist of eleven members to be appointed as
16 follows: two members to be appointed by the speaker of the assembly, one
17 member to be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly, two
18 members to be appointed by the temporary president of the senate, and
19 one member to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate. The
20 task force shall also include the commissioner of the office of alcohol-
21 ism and substance abuse services or his or her designee, the executive
22 director of the New York state gaming commission or his or her designee,
23 the director of the division of lottery or his or her designee, the
24 director of the division of gaming or his or her designee, the director
25 of the division of horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering or his or her
26 designee. The chair shall be designated by a simple majority vote of all
27 members of the task force.
28 § 4. Compensation. Members shall receive no compensation for their
29 services but shall be reimbursed for their expenses actually and neces-
30 sarily incurred in the performance of any of their duties.
31 § 5. Report. The task force shall create a final report regarding all
32 findings and recommendations to be delivered upon completion of all
33 objectives described herein, but in no event later than February 1,
34 2013, to the governor, the speaker of the assembly and the temporary
35 president of the senate. At the completion of all duties described here-
36 in the legislative task force shall be dissolved.
37 § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.
