NY State Senate Bill 2023-S6175

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Racing, Gaming And Wagering Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2024	referred to racing, gaming and wagering
Apr 03, 2023	referred to racing, gaming and wagering

2023-S6175 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A3594
Current Committee:: Senate Racing, Gaming And Wagering
Law Section:: General Municipal Law
Laws Affected:: Amd Gen Muni L, generally
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2011-2012: A9851
2013-2014: A4153
2015-2016: A959
2017-2018: A4616
2019-2020: A4379
2021-2022: A2259

2023-S6175 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Eases certain restrictions on the conducting of games of chance for charitable purposes; authorizes the payment, out of the net proceeds of games of chance, of reimbursement for reasonable expenses of volunteers working at the games; expands the frequency upon which games of chance may be held; authorizes auxiliary members of authorized organizations to operate games of chance

2023-S6175 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6175

SPONSOR: ADDABBO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to the conducting
of games of chance by certain organizations

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this bill is to update the provisions that govern the
conduct of games of chance in New York. Article 9-A of the General
Municipal Law was first codified in 1967 and has not been substantially
modified since that date. The operation of games of chance, such as bell
jars, raffles, and Las Vegas Nights raises significant funds for not-
for-profit organizations that helps to support their charitable
purposes. However, the change in lifestyles and entertainment venues has
slowly curtailed the amount of charitable gaming money raised by chari-
table organizations to support their charitable purposes. This bill
hopes to modernize the provisions of Article 9-A to stabilize the reven-
ue raised by charitable organizations and enhance their ability to
support their designated charitable purposes.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends General Municipal Law section 186 to up-date defi-
nitions that are used in Article 9-A that govern the regulation of char-
itable games such as bell jars, raffles, and Las Vegas nights.Among the
definitions that are modified are the inclusion of the term "auxiliary
member". This definition is currently included in the law, but is buried
in the body of the General Municipal Law. It updates the definition of
"net proceeds" to better reflect the kinds of expenses that charitable
organizations incur to operate bingo games.  This provision slightly
increases the number of times and number of games of bingo that that
occur during the calendar, year. In addition, a definition of "reason-
able expenses" is provided to reimburse volunteers for their reasonable
out of pocket expenses to help conduct such games.

Section 2: Amends General Municipal Law section 189 to permit auxiliary
members of a charitable organization to participate in the management
and operation of such games. This provision was added to reflect the
current problem that charitable organizations are facing in securing
volunteers to manage and conduct games of chance.Further, it permits the
charitable organization to reimburse volunteers for their reasonable
expenses incurred to volunteer for conducting such games.  The items,
would be limited transportation costs, babysitting costs to watch chil-
dren while parents help conduct bingo games. To avoid abuse of this
section; the Board could adopt rules to specify the kinds of reimbursa-
ble expenses which could be allowed for volunteers. This provision also
increases a single prize limit from $300 to $400, except for raffles
which increased from $250 to $300. For a series of prizes, the values
increase from $400 to $500 to reflect the devaluation of the prizes due
to inflation. The prize limits set in this section were established in
1976. With inflation since 1976, the prize values have been devalued
substantially over the past 35 years.

Section 3: Amends General Municipal Law section 190 to revise how
reasonable expenses of volunteers of a charitable organization can be

paid for to increase the pool of volunteers who can assist in the
conduct of bingo games.

Section 4: Amends General Municipal Law section 190 to reduce the number
of bonafide members of an applicant organization that are named to
manage the games of chance from 4 to 3. This is needed due to the lack
of volunteers available to manage these charitable games.

Section-5: Amends the General Municipal Law section 190-a to include
volunteer' ambulance workers as being a bona fide authorized organiza-
tion that can conduct games of chance. Before 1976, most ambulance
companies were organized under a volunteer fire company.  However, it is
more common now to see ambulance companies that operate free of a volun-
teer fire company.

Section 6: Amends General Municipal Law section 190-a to allow those
between the ages of 16 and 18 can help conduct a raffle if accompanied
by an adult.

Section 7: Amends General Municipal Law section 191 to allow those who
have been convicted of a crime to conduct bingo games, if the charitable
organization that is sponsoring such games of chance has as its charita-
ble purposes the charge of assisting and rehabilitating those who have
committed crimes or convicted of drug offenses. There are probably worse
things that a formerly convicted individual could be doing once released
from prison than helping to conduct a game chance that is under the
supervision of a rehabilitation services program.

Section 8: Amends General Municipal Law section 194 to allow for the
sale of wine, in addition to the currently authorized sale of beer
during the conduct of games of chance events. Drinking patterns have
changed since this law was.last codified in 1976. The consumption of
wine is far more common that it was in the past and should be allowed
during the conduct of games of chance.

Section 9: Amends General Municipal Law section 195 to change the
default on conducting of games of chance on Sunday from being prohibited
unless authorized by the local municipality to being permitted unless
the local municipality opts to prohibit such games on Sunday.

Section 10: Amends General Municipal Law section 195-a to permit those
who are 16 to 18 years old to help conduct games as long as they are
accompanied by a parent or another adult. Under current law, children
can attend games as long as they are accompanied by an adult. This bill
will increase the pool of volunteers that could help to conduct bingo
games, provide assistance at the snack stand. Since 1967; the world has
changed. With the expanded use of the Internet, Internet gambling, and
questionable material that is readily available to children on the
Internet, it seems outdated that teenagers between the ages of 16 and 18
are prohibited from assisting their parents or other adults in assisting
in the conduct of games with other adults.  In today's society, there
are probably much worse things that a teenager could be doing than help-
ing a charitable organization conduct a games of chance.

Section 11: Amends General Municipal Law section 195-b to increase the
frequency at which games can be conducted from 12 to 18 times in any
calendar year.

Section 12: Amends General Municipal Law section 195-c to reformat this
section so that the definition of auxiliary member of a charitable
organization is contained not in this section, but shifted to the defi-
nitions section contained in bill section one.

Section 13: Amends General Municipal Law section 195-e to modernize the
types of advertising that can be done to promote game nights. It permits
the use of emails and government access television broadcasts. Also, it
allows volunteer ambulance companies to display signs advertising bingo
events as is now the case for volunteer fire companies. When this law
was first enacted in 1967, ambulance corps were generally associated
with a fire company. Since then, the free standing volunteer ambulance
company is more common so this provision was amended to include such
free standing ambulance squads.

Section 14: Amends General Municipal Law section 195-f to make a techni-
cal amendment thereto.

Section 15: Amends General Municipal Law section 195-n related to
approvals of bell jar game cards.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The conduct of games of chance raises substantial funds to support the
charitable purposes of those organization that conduct such games.
However, the total amount wagered and more importantly the profit that
is retained by these charitable organizations has been steadily declin-
ing. In 2000, total games of chance handle generated in New York was
$323,330,000, however in 2010 that total handle declined by approximate-
ly $81,000,000 to a. total of $242,600,000. More importantly, the
profits generated by these games declined substantially from $53,750,000
in 2000 to $46,5300000 in 2010. That is an annual reduction in support
for New York's charitable organizations of $7,220,000.

There are many reasons for this reduction in revenue generated to
support charitable organizations. The most important is the reduced
number and pool of volunteers available to conduct and manage such
games. This bill addresses this by allowing volunteers to get at least
some of their out of pocket expenses for volunteering to conduct such
games such as child care costs and gas money when volunteering, and
allowing teenagers over the age of 16 to assist other adults in conduct-
ing the games and operating the snack bar.

Second, the means of advertising bingo games needs to be modernized to
include those forms of communication that are more commonly used now,
i.e. the Internet.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2022 01/05/22 A2259 referred to racing and wagering

2019-2020 A4379 referred to racing and wagering

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the
date on which it shall have become a law.

2023-S6175 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6175
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               April 3, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Racing, Gaming and  Wager-
   ing
 
 AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to the conducting
   of games of chance by certain organizations
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivisions 4 and 6 of section 186 of the general  munici-
 pal law, subdivision 4 as amended by chapter 476 of the laws of 2018 and
 subdivision 6 as amended by chapter 574 of the laws of 1978, are amended
 and two new subdivisions 4-a and 22 are added to read as follows:
   4.  "Authorized  organization"  shall  mean  and include any bona fide
 religious or charitable organization or bona fide educational, fraternal
 or service organization or bona fide organization of veterans or  volun-
 teer  firefighters OR VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE WORKERS, which by its charter,
 certificate of incorporation, constitution, or act of  the  legislature,
 shall  have  among  its  dominant  purposes  one  or  more of the lawful
 purposes as defined in this article, provided that  each  shall  operate
 without  profit to its members, and provided that each such organization
 has engaged in serving one or more of the lawful purposes as defined  in
 this  article  for a period of three years immediately prior to applying
 for a license under this article.
   No organization shall be deemed an authorized  organization  which  is
 formed primarily for the purpose of conducting games of chance and which
 does not devote at least seventy-five percent of its activities to other
 than  conducting  games of chance. No political party shall be deemed an
 authorized organization.
   4-A.  "AUXILIARY MEMBER" SHALL MEAN A BONA FIDE MEMBER OF AN ORGANIZA-
 TION OR ASSOCIATION WHICH IS AUXILIARY  TO  AN  AUTHORIZED  ORGANIZATION
 LICENSED PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE; OR A BONA FIDE MEMBER OF AN ORGANIZA-
 TION  OR ASSOCIATION OF WHICH AN AUTHORIZED ORGANIZATION LICENSED PURSU-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08307-01-3

 S. 6175                             2
 
 ANT TO THIS ARTICLE IS AN AUXILIARY; OR A BONA FIDE MEMBER OF AN  ORGAN-
 IZATION   OR   ASSOCIATION   WHICH  IS  AFFILIATED  WITH  AN  AUTHORIZED
 ORGANIZATION LICENSED PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE BY BEING, WITH IT, AUXIL-
 IARY TO ANOTHER ORGANIZATION OR ASSOCIATION.
   6.  "Net  proceeds"  shall  mean (a) in relation to the gross receipts
 from one or more license periods of games of  chance,  the  amount  that
 shall remain after deducting the reasonable sums necessarily and actual-
 ly  expended  for  CONDUCTING GAMES OF CHANCE INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
 TO, supplies and equipment, prizes, security-personnel, stated rental if
 any, bookkeeping or accounting  services  according  to  a  schedule  of
 compensation  prescribed  by  the board, janitorial services and utility
 supplies if any, license fees, and  [the  cost  of  bus  transportation]
 REIMBURSEMENT  OF  REASONABLE EXPENSES INCURRED BY VOLUNTEERS WHO DONATE
 THEIR TIME TO HOLD, OPERATE OR CONDUCT, OR ASSIST IN THE CONDUCT OF SUCH
 GAMES, AND AS AUTHORIZED BY THE BOARD AND if authorized by the clerk  or
 department  and (b) in relation to the gross rent received by an author-
 ized games of chance lessor for the use of its premises  by  a  game  of
 chance  licensee,  the  amount  that  shall  remain  after deducting the
 reasonable  sums  necessarily  and  actually  expended  for   janitorial
 services and utility supplies directly attributable thereto if any.
   22.  "REASONABLE EXPENSES" SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, CHILD
 CARE EXPENSES, TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES, MEALS  AND  OTHER  EXPENSES,  AS
 DETERMINED AND REGULATED BY THE BOARD.
   §  2. Subdivisions 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 11 of section 189 of the general
 municipal law, subdivisions 4, 10 and 11 as amended by  chapter  574  of
 the  laws of 1978, subdivisions 5 and 6 as amended by section 11 of part
 MM of chapter 59 of the laws of 2017 and subdivision  8  as  amended  by
 chapter 434 of the laws of 2016, are amended to read as follows:
   4.  The entire net proceeds of any game of chance shall be exclusively
 devoted to the lawful purposes of the organization permitted to  conduct
 the  same  and the net proceeds of any rental derived therefrom shall be
 exclusively devoted to the lawful purposes of the  authorized  games  of
 chance lessor; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT A PERSON MAY ACCEPT REIMBURSEMENT
 OF REASONABLE EXPENSES INCURRED TO MANAGE, HOLD, OPERATE OR CONDUCT SUCH
 GAMES.
   5.  (a)  No  single prize awarded by games of chance other than raffle
 shall exceed the sum or value of [three] FOUR  hundred  dollars,  except
 that  for  merchandise  wheels,  no single prize shall exceed the sum or
 value of [two] THREE hundred [fifty]  dollars,  and  for  bell  jar,  no
 single prize shall exceed the sum or value of one thousand dollars.
   (b) No single prize awarded by raffle shall exceed the sum or value of
 three hundred thousand dollars.
   (c)  No  single wager shall exceed six dollars and for bell jars, coin
 boards or merchandise boards, no single prize shall exceed one  thousand
 dollars,  provided, however, that such limitation shall not apply to the
 amount of money or value paid by the participant in a raffle  in  return
 for a ticket or other receipt.
   (d) For coin boards and merchandise boards, the value of a prize shall
 be  determined  by the cost of such prize to the authorized organization
 or, if donated, the fair market value of such prize.
   6. (a) No authorized organization  shall  award  a  series  of  prizes
 consisting  of  cash or of merchandise with an aggregate value in excess
 of:
   (1) ten thousand dollars during the successive operations of  any  one
 merchandise wheel OR BELL JAR; and
 S. 6175                             3
 
   (2) six thousand dollars during the successive operations of any [bell
 jar,] coin board or merchandise board.
   (b)  No  series  of  prizes  awarded by raffle shall have an aggregate
 value in excess of five hundred thousand dollars.
   (c) For coin boards and merchandise boards, the value of a prize shall
 be determined by the cost of such prize to the  authorized  organization
 or, if donated, the fair market value of such prize.
   8.  Except  for merchandise wheels and raffles, no series of prizes on
 any one occasion shall aggregate more than [four] FIVE  hundred  dollars
 when  the licensed authorized organization conducts five single types of
 games of chance during any one license period.  Except  for  merchandise
 wheels,  raffles  and bell jars, no series of prizes on any one occasion
 shall aggregate more than five hundred dollars when the licensed author-
 ized organization conducts less than  five  single  types  of  games  of
 chance,  exclusive  of merchandise wheels, raffles and bell jars, during
 any one license period. No authorized organization shall award by raffle
 prizes with an aggregate value in excess of three million dollars during
 any one license period.
   10. No person except a bona fide member  of  the  licensed  authorized
 organization  OR  AN AUXILIARY MEMBER OF SUCH ORGANIZATION shall partic-
 ipate in the management of such games[; no person  except  a  bona  fide
 member  of the licensed authorized organization, its auxiliary or affil-
 iated organization, shall participate in the operation of such game,  as
 set forth in section one hundred ninety-five-c of this article].
   11.  No person shall receive any remuneration for participating in the
 management or operation of any such  game;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  THAT  A
 PERSON  MAY  ACCEPT  REIMBURSEMENT  OF  REASONABLE  EXPENSES INCURRED TO
 MANAGE, HOLD, OPERATE OR CONDUCT GAMES OF CHANCE.
   § 3. Subparagraph 5 of paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of  section  190
 of  the  general municipal law, as amended by chapter 574 of the laws of
 1978, is amended to read as follows:
   (5) the purposes to which the entire net proceeds of such games are to
 be devoted and in what  manner;  that  no  commission,  salary,  compen-
 sation[,]  OR  reward  [or  recompense]  will  be paid to any person for
 conducting such game or games or for assisting therein except as in this
 article otherwise provided; and  such  other  information  as  shall  be
 prescribed by such rules and regulations.
   §  4.  Paragraph  (b)  of  subdivision 1 of section 190 of the general
 municipal law, as amended by chapter 574 of the laws of 1978, is amended
 to read as follows:
   (b) In each application there shall be designated not less than [four]
 THREE bona fide members of the applicant  organization  under  whom  the
 game  or games of chance will be managed and to the application shall be
 appended a statement executed by the members so  designated,  that  they
 will  be responsible for the management of such games in accordance with
 the terms of the license, the rules and regulations of the  board,  this
 article and the applicable local laws or ordinances.
   §  5.  Subdivision 3 of section 190-a of the general municipal law, as
 added by chapter 400 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
   3. No person under the age of eighteen shall be  permitted  to  play[,
 operate or assist] in any raffle conducted pursuant to this section.  NO
 PERSON  UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN YEARS SHALL BE PERMITTED TO OPERATE OR
 ASSIST IN ANY RAFFLE  CONDUCTED  PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SECTION;  PROVIDED,
 HOWEVER,  THAT  A  PERSON  UNDER  THE  AGE  OF EIGHTEEN YEARS AND WHO IS
 SIXTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER SHALL BE PERMITTED TO ASSIST IN ANY RAFFLE
 IF ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT.
 S. 6175                             4
 
   § 6. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of  section  191  of  the  general
 municipal  law, as amended by section 2 of subpart E of part II of chap-
 ter 55 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
   (a)  Issuance of licenses to conduct games of chance. If such clerk or
 department determines:
   (i) that the applicant is duly qualified to  be  licensed  to  conduct
 games of chance under this article;
   (ii)  that  the  member  or members of the applicant designated in the
 application to manage games of chance are bona fide  active  members  of
 the  applicant  and  are  persons of good moral character and have never
 been convicted of a crime if there is a direct relationship between  one
 or more of the previous criminal offenses and the integrity or safety of
 charitable  gaming, considering the factors set forth in article twenty-
 three-A of the correction law, OR, IF CONVICTED, THE MEMBER  OR  MEMBERS
 ARE PARTICIPATING IN A REHABILITATION PROGRAM LICENSED OR CERTIFIED BY A
 STATE AGENCY AND OPERATED BY THE APPLICANT OR AN AUXILIARY THEREOF;
   (iii)  that  such  games  are  to  be conducted in accordance with the
 provisions of this article and in accordance with the  rules  and  regu-
 lations of the gaming commission and applicable local laws or ordinances
 and  that the proceeds thereof are to be disposed of as provided by this
 article; and
   (iv) that no commission, salary, compensation[,] OR reward [or  recom-
 pense]  whatever will be paid or given to any person managing, operating
 or assisting therein except as [in this article] otherwise  provided  IN
 THIS ARTICLE, INCLUDING REIMBURSEMENT OF REASONABLE EXPENSES INCURRED BY
 VOLUNTEERS  WHO DONATE THEIR TIME TO HOLD, OPERATE OR CONDUCT, OR ASSIST
 IN THE CONDUCT OF SUCH GAMES; then such clerk or department shall  issue
 a  license  to  the  applicant  for  the conduct of games of chance upon
 payment of a license fee of twenty-five dollars for each license period.
   § 7. Section 195 of the general municipal law, as amended  by  chapter
 461 of the laws of 2003, is amended to read as follows:
   §  195. Sunday; conduct of games on. Except as provided in section one
 hundred ninety-five-b of this article, [no] games of chance [shall]  MAY
 be  conducted  under  any license issued under this article on the first
 day of the week, commonly known and  designated  as  Sunday,  unless  it
 shall  be  otherwise  provided  in the license issued for the conducting
 thereof, pursuant to the provisions of a local law or an ordinance  duly
 adopted by the governing body of the municipality wherein the license is
 issued,  [authorizing]  PROHIBITING the conduct of games of chance under
 this article on that day [only between the hours of noon and  midnight].
 Notwithstanding  the  foregoing  provisions  of this section no games of
 chance shall be conducted on Easter Sunday or Christmas Day.
   § 8. Section 195-a of the general municipal law, as amended by chapter
 574 of the laws of 1978, is amended to read as follows:
   § 195-a. Participation by persons under eighteen. No person under  the
 age  of  eighteen  years shall be permitted to play any game or games of
 chance conducted pursuant to any  license  issued  under  this  article.
 Persons under the age of eighteen years may be permitted to attend games
 of  chance  [at  the  discretion  of the games of chance licensee].   No
 person under the age of eighteen years shall be permitted to operate any
 game of chance conducted pursuant to any license issued under this arti-
 cle or to assist therein; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT A PERSON UNDER THE AGE
 OF EIGHTEEN YEARS AND WHO IS SIXTEEN YEARS OF  AGE  OR  OLDER  SHALL  BE
 PERMITTED  TO  ASSIST IN THE OPERATION OF ANY GAME OF CHANCE IF ACCOMPA-
 NIED BY A PARENT.
 S. 6175                             5
 
   § 9. Section 195-b of the general municipal law, as amended by chapter
 252 of the laws of 1998, is amended to read as follows:
   §  195-b.  Frequency  of  games.  No game or games of chance, shall be
 conducted under any license issued under this article  more  often  than
 [twelve]  EIGHTEEN  times  in  any calendar year. No particular premises
 shall be used for the conduct of games of chance on  more  than  twenty-
 four  license  periods  during  any  one  calendar  year. Games shall be
 conducted only between the hours of noon and midnight on SUNDAY, Monday,
 Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and only between the hours of  noon  on
 Friday  and  two  A.M.   Saturday, and only between the hours of noon on
 Saturday and two A.M.  Sunday. The two A.M. closing  period  shall  also
 apply  to  a legal holiday.  The above restrictions shall not apply when
 only the games of chance known as bell jar and/or raffle are conducted.
   § 10. Section 195-c of the general municipal law, as amended by  chap-
 ter 252 of the laws of 1998, is amended to read as follows:
   §  195-c.  [1.]  Persons operating games; equipment; expenses; compen-
 sation.  1. No person shall operate any game of chance under any license
 issued under this article except a bona fide member OR AUXILIARY  MEMBER
 of  the  authorized  organization  to which the license is issued[, or a
 bona fide member of an organization or association which is an auxiliary
 to the licensee or a bona fide member of an organization or  association
 of  which  such  licensee  is  an  auxiliary or a bona fide member of an
 organization or association which is affiliated  with  the  licensee  by
 being, with it, auxiliary to another organization or association]. Noth-
 ing  herein  shall  be  construed to limit the number of games of chance
 licensees for whom such persons may  operate  games  of  chance  nor  to
 prevent  non-members  from  assisting the licensee in any activity other
 than managing or operating games. No game of chance shall  be  conducted
 with  any  equipment  except  such  as  shall  be owned or leased by the
 authorized organization so licensed  or  used  without  payment  of  any
 compensation  therefor  by the licensee. However, in no event shall bell
 jar tickets be transferred from one authorized organization to  another,
 with  or  without payment of any compensation thereof. The head or heads
 of the authorized organization shall upon request certify,  under  oath,
 that the persons operating any game of chance are bona fide OR AUXILIARY
 members  of such authorized organization, auxiliary or affiliated organ-
 ization. Upon request by an officer or the department  any  such  person
 involved  in  such  games  of chance shall certify that he or she has no
 criminal record. No items of  expense  shall  be  incurred  or  paid  in
 connection  with  the  conducting  of any game of chance pursuant to any
 license issued under this article except those that are  reasonable  and
 are  necessarily  expended  for  games of chance supplies and equipment,
 prizes,  security  personnel,  stated  rental  if  any,  bookkeeping  or
 accounting  services  according to a schedule of compensation prescribed
 by the board, janitorial services  and  utility  supplies  if  any,  and
 license  fees,  REIMBURSEMENT  OF REASONABLE EXPENSES INCURRED BY VOLUN-
 TEERS WHO DONATE THEIR TIME TO OPERATE OR ASSIST  IN  THE  OPERATION  OF
 GAMES  OF  CHANCE  and  the cost of bus transportation, if authorized by
 such clerk or department.  No  commission,  salary,  compensation[,]  OR
 reward [or recompense] shall be paid or given to any person for the sale
 or assisting with the sale of raffle tickets.
   2.  For the purpose of the sale of tickets for the game of raffle, the
 term "operate" shall not include the sale of such tickets by persons  of
 lineal or collateral consanguinity to members of an authorized organiza-
 tion licensed to conduct a raffle.
 S. 6175                             6
 
   §  11.  Section  195-e  of  the  general  municipal law, as amended by
 section 14 of part MM of chapter 59 of the laws of 2017, is  amended  to
 read as follows:
   §  195-e.  Advertising  games. A licensee may advertise the conduct of
 games of chance to the general public by means of  newspaper,  circular,
 handbill  [and],  poster, ELECTRONIC MAIL, ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS AND
 GOVERNMENT ACCESS TELEVISION BROADCASTS, and by one sign  not  exceeding
 sixty  square feet in area, which may be displayed on or adjacent to the
 premises owned  or  occupied  by  a  licensed  authorized  organization,
 through  the internet or television as may be regulated by the rules and
 regulations of the commission.  When  an  organization  is  licensed  or
 authorized  to  conduct games of chance on the premises of an authorized
 games of chance lessor, one additional such sign may be displayed on  or
 adjacent  to  the premises in which the games are to be conducted. Addi-
 tional signs may be displayed upon any firefighting or ambulance  equip-
 ment  belonging to any licensed authorized organization that is a volun-
 teer fire company, volunteer ambulance corps or upon any equipment of  a
 first aid or rescue squad in and throughout the community served by such
 volunteer  fire  company, volunteer ambulance corps or such first aid or
 rescue squad, as the case may be. All advertisements shall be limited to
 the description of such event as "Games of chance" or "Las Vegas Night",
 the name of the  authorized  organization  conducting  such  games,  the
 license  number  of the authorized organization as assigned by the clerk
 or department, the prizes offered and the date, location and time of the
 event.
   § 12. Subdivision 3 of section 195-f of the general municipal law,  as
 amended  by  chapter  550  of  the  laws  of 1994, is amended to read as
 follows:
   3. Any authorized organization required to file an annual report  with
 the  secretary of state pursuant to article seven-A of the executive law
 [or the attorney general pursuant  to  article  eight  of  the  estates,
 powers  and  trusts law] shall include with such annual report a copy of
 the statement required to be filed with the clerk or department pursuant
 to subdivision one or two of this section.
   § 13. Subdivision 1 of section 195-n of the general municipal law,  as
 amended  by  chapter  637  of  the  laws  of 1999, is amended to read as
 follows:
   1. Distribution; manufacturers. For business conducted in this  state,
 manufacturers  licensed by the board to sell bell jar tickets shall sell
 only such tickets to distributors licensed by the  board.  Manufacturers
 of bell jar tickets, seal cards, merchandise boards, and coin boards may
 submit  samples,  artists'  renderings, or color photocopies of proposed
 bell jar tickets, seal cards, merchandise boards,  coin  boards,  payout
 cards,  and  flares  for review and approval by the board. Within thirty
 days of receipt of such sample or rendering, the board shall approve  or
 deny such bell jar tickets. [Following approval of a rendering of a bell
 jar  ticket,  seal  card, merchandise board, or coin board by the board]
 PRIOR TO THE SALE OF A BELL JAR GAME, JAR TICKET, SEAL CARD, MERCHANDISE
 BOARD OR COIN BOARD TO ANY  LICENSED  DISTRIBUTOR  FOR  RESALE  IN  THIS
 STATE, the manufacturer shall submit to the board a sample of the print-
 ed  bell  jar  ticket,  seal card, merchandise board, coin board, payout
 card, and flare for such game. [Such sample shall be submitted prior  to
 the  sale  of  the  game  to any licensed distributor for resale in this
 state.] WITHIN FORTY-FIVE DAYS OF RECEIPT  OF  SUCH  SAMPLE,  THE  BOARD
 SHALL  APPROVE  OR  DENY  THE  BELL  JAR  TICKET, JAR TICKET, SEAL CARD,
 MERCHANDISE BOARD OR COIN BOARD. For coin boards and merchandise boards,
 S. 6175                             7
 
 nothing herein shall require the submittal of actual coins  or  merchan-
 dise  as  part  of  the  approval process. Any licensed manufacturer who
 willfully violates the provisions of this section shall: (a)  upon  such
 first offense, have their license suspended for a period of thirty days;
 (b)  upon  such second offense, participate in a hearing to be conducted
 by the board, and surrender their license for such period as recommended
 by the board; and (c) upon such third or subsequent offense, have  their
 license  suspended  for  a  period  of one year and shall be guilty of a
 class E felony. Any unlicensed manufacturer who violates the  provisions
 of this section shall be guilty of a class E felony.
   § 14. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.

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Senate Bill S6175

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Racing, Gaming And Wagering Committee

2023-S6175 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S6175 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S6175 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S6175 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S6175

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Sponsored By

Joseph P. Addabbo Jr.

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Racing, Gaming And Wagering Committee

2023-S6175 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S6175 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S6175 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S6175 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments