S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  1978--A
     Cal. No. 63
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 18, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Racing, Gaming and  Wager-
   ing  --  reported  favorably from said committee, ordered to first and
   second report, ordered to a third reading, passed by Senate and deliv-
   ered to the Assembly, recalled, vote reconsidered, restored  to  third
   reading,  amended  and  ordered  reprinted, retaining its place in the
   order of third reading
 
 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:
 
   Section  1. Legislative findings. a. The legislature hereby finds that
 the 2012-2013 New York state budget amended the  state  constitution  to
 allow  for  non-tribal  casino  gaming  in  New  York.  It also included
 provisions to create a New York state gaming commission, as a result  of
 the  merger  between the division of lottery and the racing and wagering
 board. The commission is charged  with  oversight  of  the  division  of
 lottery,  the division of charitable gaming, the division of gaming, and
 the division of horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering. This  legislative
 action  consolidated  the  state's  gaming  regulatory functions under a
 single oversight body.
   b.  The legislature further finds that the development of policies and
 procedures that foster responsible gaming practices by gaming facilities
 licensed or enfranchised by the New York state gaming commission or  its
 divisions  is necessary to mitigate the risks or consequences associated
 with problem gambling. The legislature concludes that this can  be  best
 accomplished by the creation of a task force on responsible gaming.
   § 2. Legislative task force on responsible gaming.  A legislative task
 force on responsible gaming is hereby established to:
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06783-03-9
              

 S. 1978--A                          2
 
   (a)  Identify policies and programs that mitigate the risks and conse-
 quences associated with  compulsive  gambling  and  promote  responsible
 gaming practices for all gaming activities authorized in New York state.
   (b) Recommend policies and procedures to be promulgated in regulations
 by  the  New  York  state  gaming commission and its divisions to ensure
 responsible gaming in all facilities licensed or  enfranchised  by  such
 commission or divisions.
   (c)  Recommend a structure by which all responsible gaming regulations
 promulgated by the  commission  or  its  divisions  shall  be  enforced,
 including  but  not  limited  to  penalties for violations of regulatory
 standards and corrective action.
   (d) Identifying methods to measure effectiveness  of  any  responsible
 gaming procedures implemented.
   (e)  Identify and recommend provisions necessary to ensure responsible
 gaming practices to be  included  in  enabling  legislation  authorizing
 casino style gaming facilities in New York state.
   §  3.  Composition.  The  task  force shall consist of eleven members.
 Task force members appointed or designated  shall  have  experience  and
 expertise in one or more of the following areas:
   1) the prevention of problem gambling;
   2) the treatment of problem gambling;
   3) administration of problem gambling programs within a gaming facili-
 ty.
   The  task  force  shall  consist  of eleven members to be appointed as
 follows: two members to be appointed by the speaker of the assembly, one
 member to be appointed by the  minority  leader  of  the  assembly,  two
 members  to  be  appointed by the temporary president of the senate, and
 one member to be appointed by the minority leader  of  the  senate.  The
 task force shall also include the commissioner of the office of alcohol-
 ism  and  substance abuse services or his or her designee, the executive
 director of the New York state gaming commission or his or her designee,
 the director of the division of lottery or  his  or  her  designee,  the
 director  of the division of gaming or his or her designee, the director
 of the division of horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering or his  or  her
 designee. The chair shall be designated by a simple majority vote of all
 members of the task force.
   §  4.  Compensation.  Members  shall receive no compensation for their
 services but shall be reimbursed for their expenses actually and  neces-
 sarily incurred in the performance of any of their duties.
   §  5. Report. The task force shall create a final report regarding all
 findings and recommendations to be  delivered  upon  completion  of  all
 objectives  described  herein,  but  in  no event later than December 1,
 2020, to the governor, the speaker of the  assembly  and  the  temporary
 president of the senate. At the completion of all duties described here-
 in the legislative task force shall be dissolved.
   § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.