S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2618
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 21, 2025
                                ___________
 
 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 racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, in
   relation to the creation of the jockey health insurance reserve fund

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Subdivision 1 of section 221-a of the racing, pari-mutuel
 wagering and breeding law, as amended by chapter  243  of  the  laws  of
 2020, is amended to read as follows:
   1. A franchised corporation shall, as a condition of racing, establish
 a  program  to  administer the purchase of health insurance for eligible
 jockeys.
   Such program shall be funded through the deposit of one  and  one-half
 percent  of the gross purse enhancement amount from video lottery gaming
 at a thoroughbred track pursuant to paragraph two of subdivision  b  and
 paragraph  one of subdivision f of section sixteen hundred twelve of the
 tax law. The franchised corporation shall establish a segregated account
 for the receipt of these monies and these monies shall  remain  separate
 from  any  other funds. Any corporation or association licensed pursuant
 to this article shall pay into such account any amount  due  within  ten
 days  of  the  receipt  of  revenue  pursuant to section sixteen hundred
 twelve of the tax law. Any portion of such funding to the account unused
 during a calendar year, less an amount sufficient to  cover  anticipated
 premium liabilities over the next sixty days, shall be returned on a pro
 rata  basis  in  accordance  with the amounts originally contributed and
 shall be used for the  purpose  of  enhancing  purses  at  such  tracks.
 Provided,  however, if a corporation or association licensed pursuant to
 this article provides an alternative source of funding for this program,
 an amount equal to this alternative funding, but not in  excess  of  the
 amount  originally  contributed  during  the  year  from the gross purse
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06894-01-5
              

 S. 2618                             2
 
 enhancement amount from video lottery gaming attributable to such corpo-
 ration or association, shall be returned to the corporation  or  associ-
 ation  and  used  for  the  purpose  of  enhancing purses at such track.
 Provided,  further,  any  such  alternative  source  of  funding must be
 approved by the commission.  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, AN ADDITIONAL SEGREGATED
 ACCOUNT MAY BE ESTABLISHED WITH SUCH MONIES AS A RESERVE  FUND  FOR  THE
 PAYMENT  OF PREMIUMS NOT YET PAID. THE AMOUNT PAID INTO SUCH FUND DURING
 ANY CALENDAR YEAR, IF ANY, SHALL BE UPON THE APPROVAL OF THE  FRANCHISED
 CORPORATION  AND  THE  JOCKEY'S  ORGANIZATION  THAT  REPRESENTS AT LEAST
 FIFTY-ONE PERCENT OF ELIGIBLE ACTIVE JOCKEYS.  IF, AFTER THE  ESTABLISH-
 MENT  OF  SUCH FUND, A DETERMINATION IS MADE THAT SUCH FUND IS NO LONGER
 NEEDED, THE MONIES REMAINING IN SUCH FUND SHALL BE  RETURNED  ON  A  PRO
 RATA  BASIS  IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH THE AMOUNTS ORIGINALLY CONTRIBUTED AND
 SHALL BE USED FOR THE PURPOSES OF ENHANCING PURSES AT SUCH TRACKS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.