S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5630
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 14, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. CURRAN, FINCH, GRAF -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M.
   of A. GIGLIO -- 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:
   § 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-PPPP  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 SEVENTEEN.
   § 2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section  97-pppp
 to read as follows:
   § 97-PPPP. 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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD08467-01-7

 A. 5630                             2
 
 APPROVED  BY  THE  STATE  DIRECTOR OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS. MONIES SHALL BE
 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.
   §  3.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law.