S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  4770

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            February 6, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M. of A. CURRAN, FINCH -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.
  CERETTO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

AN ACT to amend the tax law and the state finance law,  in  relation  to
  establishing the veteran assistance lottery game

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The tax law is amended by adding a new section 1621 to read
as follows:
  S 1621. VETERAN ASSISTANCE LOTTERY GAME. 1. THE DIRECTOR SHALL DEVELOP
AND IMPLEMENT A SCRATCH-OFF LOTTERY GAME WHOSE REVENUE, AFTER PAYMENT OF
PRIZES AND ASSOCIATED ADMINISTRATIVE  COSTS  OF  SUCH  GAMES,  SHALL  BE
DEPOSITED  IN  THE  VETERANS'  ASSISTANCE FUND AS ESTABLISHED IN SECTION
NINETY-SEVEN-LLLL OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW. THIS LOTTERY GAME  SHALL  BE
MARKETED  AND  DISTRIBUTED  IN  THE  SAME  MANNER  AS  ALL LOTTERY GAMES
CONTROLLED BY THE DIVISION. THIS SECTION SHALL NOT DIMINISH ANY  EFFORTS
OR  FUNDING  FOR  OTHER LOTTERY GAMES UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE DIVISION.
EACH TICKET SHALL CLEARLY STATE THAT ALL PROCEEDS FROM TICKET  SALES  GO
TOWARDS THE VETERANS' ASSISTANCE FUND.
  2.  THE  DIVISION OF LOTTERY SHALL ESTABLISH AND BEGIN SELLING TICKETS
AS REQUIRED BY THIS SECTION NO LATER  THAN  DECEMBER  THIRTY-FIRST,  TWO
THOUSAND FIFTEEN.
  S  2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 97-llll
to read as follows:
  S 97-LLLL. VETERANS' ASSISTANCE FUND. 1. THE VETERANS' ASSISTANCE FUND
IS ESTABLISHED IN THE SOLE CUSTODY OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER.  MONIES  IN
THE  FUND  SHALL BE KEPT SEPARATE AND NOT COMMINGLED WITH OTHER FUNDS IN
THE CUSTODY OF THE COMPTROLLER.
  2. MONIES OF THE FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED ONLY FOR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH
ASSISTANCE FOR VETERANS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, HIGHER  EDUCATION,
JOB  AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND BUSINESS TRAINING
APPROVED BY THE STATE DIRECTOR OF VETERANS'  AFFAIRS.  MONIES  SHALL  BE

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD08122-01-5
              

A. 4770                             2

PAYABLE  FROM  THE  FUND  BY THE COMPTROLLER ON VOUCHERS APPROVED BY THE
STATE DIRECTOR OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS.
  3. THE STATE DIRECTOR OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS SHALL CREATE A DIRECT GRANT
PROGRAM  THAT  WILL  DISBURSE FUNDS TO REIMBURSE INDIVIDUAL VETERANS FOR
THE COSTS OF APPROVED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS BASED  UPON  APPLICATION  AND
ELIGIBILITY  CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY SUCH STATE DIRECTOR, WITH A PREFER-
ENCE GIVEN TO VETERANS WHO HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED A DISABILITY RATING BY THE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND WITH A HIGHER PRIORITY
GRANTED TO VETERANS WITH HIGHER DISABILITY RATINGS.
  4. MONIES SHALL BE CREDITED TOWARDS THE FUND  IN  THE  FORM  OF  GIFT,
DONATION, FEDERAL ASSISTANCE OR GRANT, TRANSFERS, PAYMENT, APPROPRIATION
OR  BY  A  DEDICATED  REVENUE  SOURCE  INCLUDING  THE VETERAN ASSISTANCE
LOTTERY GAME AS ESTABLISHED IN SECTION SIXTEEN HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE OF THE
TAX LAW.
  5. MONIES OF THE FUND SHALL NOT BE USED, TRANSFERRED  OR  APPROPRIATED
FOR ANY PURPOSE OTHER THAN WHAT IS PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION, EXCEPT THAT
SUCH  MONIES  MAY  BE  USED  FOR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ADMINISTERING THE
PROGRAM WITHIN THE DIVISION OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS.
  6. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "VETERAN" SHALL HAVE THE  MEANING
DEFINED IN SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW.
  S  3.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law.