S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
7301
I N S E N A T E
May 2, 2012
___________
Introduced by Sen. KLEIN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
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 there are severe consequences
12 associated with problem gambling. According to the National Gambling
13 Impact Study Commission, gambling addictions increase by approximately
14 ten percent within a 50-mile radius of casinos and bankruptcy rates are
15 about 18 percent higher in communities with casinos. According to a
16 study by the University of Illinois and the University of Georgia,
17 researchers put society's cost for a problem gambler at $13,586; other
18 studies put that figure as high as $52,000. Additionally, it is well
19 documented that problem gambling results in the increase of a myriad of
20 public health problems such as drug addiction, domestic violence,
21 divorce, child abuse, suicide attempts, and crime.
22 c. The legislature further finds that the development of policies and
23 procedures that foster responsible gaming practices by gaming facilities
24 licensed or enfranchised by the New York state gaming commission or its
25 divisions is necessary to mitigate the risks or consequences associated
26 with problem gambling. The legislature concludes that this can be best
27 accomplished by the creation of a task force on responsible gaming.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15685-01-2
S. 7301 2
1 S 2. Legislative task force on responsible gaming. A legislative task
2 force on responsible gaming is hereby established to:
3 (a) Identify policies and programs that mitigate the risks and conse-
4 quences associated with compulsive gambling and promote responsible
5 gaming practices for all gaming activities authorized in New York state.
6 (b) Recommend policies and procedures to be promulgated in regulations
7 by the New York state gaming commission and its divisions to ensure
8 responsible gaming in all facilities licensed or enfranchised by such
9 commission or divisions.
10 (c) Recommend a structure by which all responsible gaming regulations
11 promulgated by the commission or its divisions shall be enforced,
12 including but not limited to penalties for violations of regulatory
13 standards and corrective action.
14 (d) Identifying methods to measure effectiveness of any responsible
15 gaming procedures implemented.
16 (e) Identify and recommend provisions necessary to ensure responsible
17 gaming practices to be included in enabling legislation authorizing
18 casino style gaming facilities in New York state.
19 S 3. Composition. The task force shall consist of eleven members.
20 Task force members appointed or designated shall have experience and
21 expertise in one or more of the following areas:
22 1) the prevention of problem gambling;
23 2) the treatment of problem gambling;
24 3) administration of problem gambling programs within a gaming facili-
25 ty.
26 The task force shall consist of eleven members to be appointed as
27 follows: two members to be appointed by the speaker of the assembly, one
28 member to be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly, two
29 members to be appointed by the temporary president of the senate, and
30 one member to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate. The
31 task force shall also include the commissioner of the office of alcohol-
32 ism and substance abuse services or his or her designee, the executive
33 director of the New York state gaming commission or his or her designee,
34 the director of the division of lottery or his or her designee, the
35 director of the division of gaming or his or her designee, the director
36 of the division of horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering or his or her
37 designee. The chair shall be designated by a simple majority vote of all
38 members of the task force.
39 S 4. Compensation. Members shall receive no compensation for their
40 services but shall be reimbursed for their expenses actually and neces-
41 sarily incurred in the performance of any of their duties.
42 S 5. Report. The task force shall create a final report regarding all
43 findings and recommendations to be delivered upon completion of all
44 objectives described herein, but in no event later than February 1,
45 2013, to the governor, the speaker of the assembly and the temporary
46 president of the senate. At the completion of all duties described here-
47 in the legislative task force shall be dissolved.
48 S 6. This act shall take effect immediately.