| 1 | 1 | | <STYLE><!--U {color: Green}S {color: RED} I {color: DARKBLUE; background-color:yellow} P.brk {page-break-before:always}--></STYLE> <BASEFONT SIZE=3> <PRE WIDTH="108"> <FONT SIZE=5><B> STATE OF NEW YORK</B></FONT> ________________________________________________________________________ 5921--A 2025-2026 Regular Sessions <FONT SIZE=5><B> IN ASSEMBLY</B></FONT> February 24, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. WOERNER -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Racing and Wagering -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee AN ACT to amend the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, in relation to the creation of the jockey health insurance reserve fund <B><U>The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-</U></B> <B><U>bly, do enact as follows:</U></B> 1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 221-a of the racing, pari-mutuel 2 wagering and breeding law, as amended by chapter 243 of the laws of 3 2020, is amended to read as follows: 4 1. <B><U>a.</U></B> A franchised corporation shall, as a condition of racing, estab- 5 lish a program to administer the purchase of health insurance for eligi- 6 ble jockeys. 7 Such program shall be funded through the deposit of one and one-half 8 percent of the gross purse enhancement amount from video lottery gaming 9 at a thoroughbred track pursuant to paragraph two of subdivision b and 10 paragraph one of subdivision f of section sixteen hundred twelve of the 11 tax law. The franchised corporation shall establish a segregated account 12 for the receipt of these monies and these monies shall remain separate 13 from any other funds. Any corporation or association licensed pursuant 14 to this article shall pay into such account any amount due within ten 15 days of the receipt of revenue pursuant to section sixteen hundred 16 twelve of the tax law. 17 <B><U>b.</U></B> Any portion of such funding to the account<B><U>, outlined in paragraph a</U></B> 18 <B><U>of this subdivision,</U></B> unused during a calendar year, less an amount 19 sufficient to cover anticipated premium liabilities over the next sixty 20 days, shall be <B><U>either (i)</U></B> returned on a pro rata basis in accordance 21 with the amounts originally contributed [<B><S>and shall</S></B>] <B><U>to</U></B> be used for the 22 purpose of enhancing purses at such tracks<B><U>, (ii) deposited into the</U></B> 23 <B><U>account established in paragraph c of this section, or (iii) distributed</U></B> 24 <B><U>via a combination of both purposes outlined in subparagraphs (i) and</U></B> EXPLANATION--Matter in <B><U>italics</U></B> (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [<B><S> </S></B>] is old law to be omitted. LBD06894-02-5 </PRE><P CLASS="brk"><PRE WIDTH="108"> A. 5921--A 2 1 <B><U>(ii) of this paragraph. The distribution of such unused funding</U></B> 2 <B><U>described in this paragraph shall be determined and agreed upon by the</U></B> 3 <B><U>franchised corporation and the jockey's organization that represents at</U></B> 4 <B><U>least fifty-one percent of eligible jockeys</U></B>. Provided, however, if a 5 corporation or association licensed pursuant to this article provides an 6 alternative source of funding for this program, an amount equal to this 7 alternative funding, but not in excess of the amount originally contrib- 8 uted during the year from the gross purse enhancement amount from video 9 lottery gaming attributable to such corporation or association, shall be 10 returned to the corporation or association and used for the purpose of 11 enhancing purses at such track. Provided, further, any such alternative 12 source of funding must be approved by the commission. 13 <B><U>c. An additional segregated account may be established with such</U></B> 14 <B><U>monies as a reserve fund for the payment of premiums not yet paid. The</U></B> 15 <B><U>amount paid into such fund during any calendar year, if any, shall be</U></B> 16 <B><U>determined upon the agreement between the franchised corporation and the</U></B> 17 <B><U>jockey's organization that represents at least fifty-one percent of</U></B> 18 <B><U>eligible active jockeys outlined in paragraph b of this subdivision.</U></B> 19 <B><U>If, after the establishment of such fund, a determination and agreement</U></B> 20 <B><U>is made between the franchised corporation and the jockey's organization</U></B> 21 <B><U>that represents at least fifty-one percent of eligible jockeys that such</U></B> 22 <B><U>fund is no longer needed, the monies remaining in such fund shall be</U></B> 23 <B><U>returned on a pro rata basis in accordance with the amounts originally</U></B> 24 <B><U>contributed and shall be used for the purposes of enhancing purses at</U></B> 25 <B><U>such tracks.</U></B> 26 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. |
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