Bill Text: NY A07301 | 2011-2012 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Extends the Catskill region off-track betting corporation to include the five counties comprising the city of New York.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 32-1)
Status: (Vetoed) 2012-12-17 - tabled [A07301 Detail]
Download: New_York-2011-A07301-Introduced.html
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K ________________________________________________________________________ 7301 2011-2012 Regular Sessions I N A S S E M B L Y April 29, 2011 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. PRETLOW -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Racing and Wagering AN ACT to amend the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, in relation to extending the Catskill region to include the five counties comprising the city of New York THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM- BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: 1 Section 1. Legislative findings and intent. The legislature hereby 2 finds the following: 3 a. That the state of New York has an interest in the welfare of its 4 citizens, and a particular interest in the preservation and expansion of 5 the racing industry which provides employment to thousands of employees 6 across the state. 7 b. That on December 7, 2010, the New York city off-track betting 8 corporation (NYCOTB), a public benefit corporation created in 1973 9 pursuant to article VI of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding 10 law, ceased operations. 11 c. That the closure of the New York city off-track betting corporation 12 has created a considerable hardship to the employees who have lost their 13 jobs as a result. 14 d. That the closure of the New York city off-track betting corporation 15 has resulted in a significant loss of revenue to the state of New York. 16 The legislature hereby declares that residents of the five counties of 17 the city of New York should be afforded an opportunity to place wagers 18 at off-track betting facilities. The legislature further declares that 19 employees who lost their jobs as a result of the closure of the New York 20 city off-track betting corporation should be afforded an opportunity to 21 return to employment. 22 S 2. Subdivision 1 of section 519 of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering 23 and breeding law, paragraph (e) as amended by chapter 260 of the laws of EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD11149-01-1 A. 7301 2 1 1987 and paragraphs (f), (g) and (h) as amended by chapter 125 of the 2 laws of 1997, is amended to read as follows: 3 1. "Region." One or more of the following named regions comprised of 4 the counties indicated: 5 a. Suffolk: Suffolk county; 6 b. Nassau: Nassau county; 7 c. [New York city: the five counties comprising the city of New York; 8 d.] Catskill: Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Delaware, Orange, Rockland, 9 Sullivan, Tioga, Dutchess, Tompkins, Westchester, Putnam and Ulster, 10 RICHMOND, QUEENS, KINGS, BRONX AND NEW YORK counties; 11 [e.] D. Capital District: Albany, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Essex, 12 Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Madison, Montgomery, Onei- 13 da, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, St. Lawrence, 14 Warren and Washington counties; 15 [f.] E. Central: Lewis and Onondaga counties; 16 [g.] F. Western: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Erie, 17 Genesee, Jefferson, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Oswe- 18 go, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates counties; 19 [h.] G. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this subdivision, when 20 and if the Central regional off-track betting corporation is estab- 21 lished, it shall include, in addition to the counties listed in para- 22 graph [f] E, the following: Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Franklin, 23 Herkimer, Jefferson, Madison, Oneida, Oswego, Otsego and Tompkins coun- 24 ties. 25 S 3. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, a region comprised 26 of any counties of the city of New York, shall recognize the collective 27 bargaining representatives of the employees of the New York city off- 28 track betting corporation as of December 6, 2010. To the extent that 29 such region opens facilities within the five boroughs of the city of New 30 York to engage in off-track betting or the support thereof, such region 31 shall recall previous employees, in accordance with the terms of section 32 80 of the civil service law, to positions created by the opening of 33 off-track betting and support facilities. Such region shall further 34 assume the collective bargaining agreements that are in place as of 35 December 6, 2010, and shall reimburse the New York city health insurance 36 plan and the New York city employees retirement system for current 37 participants and for the post-employment benefits of current and future 38 retirees of the New York city off-track betting corporation. Nothing 39 contained in this act shall be construed to diminish the rights of 40 employees pursuant to paragraph (e) of section 209-a of the civil 41 service law. 42 S 4. This act shall take effect immediately.