Bill Text: NY A00872 | 2025-2026 | General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Relates to the operation of games of chance by employees of authorized organizations.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 7-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-09 - to attorney-general for opinion [A00872 Detail]

Download: New_York-2025-A00872-Introduced.html

---

                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                           872

                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                       (Prefiled)

                                     January 8, 2025
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  BLANKENBUSH, BRABENEC, DeSTEFANO, McDONOUGH,
          MILLER, SMULLEN, TAGUE -- read once and referred to the  Committee  on
          Racing and Wagering

                    CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY

        proposing an amendment to subdivision 2 of section 9 of article 1 of the
          constitution, in relation to the operation of games of chance

     1    Section  1.  Resolved  (if  the  Senate concur), That subdivision 2 of
     2  section 9 of article 1  of  the  constitution  be  amended  to  read  as
     3  follows:
     4    2. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, any city,
     5  town or village within the state may by an approving vote of the majori-
     6  ty  of  the qualified electors in such municipality voting on a proposi-
     7  tion therefor submitted at a  general  or  special  election  authorize,
     8  subject to state legislative supervision and control, the conduct of one
     9  or  both  of  the following categories of games of chance commonly known
    10  as: (a) bingo or lotto, in which prizes are  awarded  on  the  basis  of
    11  designated numbers or symbols on a card conforming to numbers or symbols
    12  selected  at  random; (b) games in which prizes are awarded on the basis
    13  of a winning number or numbers, color or colors, or  symbol  or  symbols
    14  determined  by  chance  from  among those previously selected or played,
    15  whether determined as the result of the spinning of a wheel,  a  drawing
    16  or  otherwise  by  chance. If authorized, such games shall be subject to
    17  the following restrictions, among others which may be prescribed by  the
    18  legislature:  (1)  only  bona  fide  religious, charitable or non-profit
    19  organizations of veterans, volunteer firefighter and similar  non-profit
    20  organizations  shall  be permitted to conduct such games; (2) the entire
    21  net proceeds of any game shall be  exclusively  devoted  to  the  lawful
    22  purposes  of such organizations; (3) no person except a bona fide member
    23  or employee of any such organization shall participate in the management
    24  or operation of such game; and (4) no person shall receive any remunera-
    25  tion for participating in the management or operation of any such  game,

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD89040-01-5
        A. 872                              2

     1  except  when  an  employee  of such organization, who is compensated for
     2  work unrelated to the  management  or  operation  of  games  of  chance,
     3  participates  in  the  management or operation of any such game.  Unless
     4  otherwise  provided  by  law,  no  single prize shall exceed two hundred
     5  fifty dollars, nor shall any series of prizes on one occasion  aggregate
     6  more  than  one thousand dollars. The legislature shall pass appropriate
     7  laws to effectuate the purposes of this subdivision,  ensure  that  such
     8  games  are rigidly regulated to prevent commercialized gambling, prevent
     9  participation by criminal and other undesirable elements and the  diver-
    10  sion  of  funds  from  the purposes authorized hereunder and establish a
    11  method by which a municipality  which  has  authorized  such  games  may
    12  rescind  or  revoke such authorization. Unless permitted by the legisla-
    13  ture, no municipality shall have the power to pass local laws  or  ordi-
    14  nances relating to such games. Nothing in this section shall prevent the
    15  legislature   from  passing  laws  more  restrictive  than  any  of  the
    16  provisions of this section.
    17    § 2. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That the foregoing amendment  be
    18  referred  to  the  first regular legislative session convening after the
    19  next succeeding general election of members of  the  assembly,  and,  in
    20  conformity  with  section  1  of  article  19  of  the  constitution, be
    21  published for three months previous to the time of such election.