New York Senate Bill S05031 Latest Draft

   
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5031 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE February 18, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. GRIFFO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing an amendment to subdivision 2 of section 9 of article 1 of the constitution, in relation to the operation of games of chance 1 Section 1. Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That subdivision 2 of 2 section 9 of article 1 of the constitution be amended to read as 3 follows: 4 2. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, any city, 5 town or village within the state may by an approving vote of the majori- 6 ty of the qualified electors in such municipality voting on a proposi- 7 tion therefor submitted at a general or special election authorize, 8 subject to state legislative supervision and control, the conduct of one 9 or both of the following categories of games of chance commonly known 10 as: (a) bingo or lotto, in which prizes are awarded on the basis of 11 designated numbers or symbols on a card conforming to numbers or symbols 12 selected at random; (b) games in which prizes are awarded on the basis 13 of a winning number or numbers, color or colors, or symbol or symbols 14 determined by chance from among those previously selected or played, 15 whether determined as the result of the spinning of a wheel, a drawing 16 or otherwise by chance. If authorized, such games shall be subject to 17 the following restrictions, among others which may be prescribed by the 18 legislature: (1) only bona fide religious, charitable or non-profit 19 organizations of veterans, volunteer firefighter and similar non-profit 20 organizations shall be permitted to conduct such games; (2) the entire 21 net proceeds of any game shall be exclusively devoted to the lawful 22 purposes of such organizations; (3) no person except a bona fide member 23 or employee of any such organization shall participate in the management 24 or operation of such game; and (4) no person shall receive any remunera- 25 tion for participating in the management or operation of any such game, 26 except when an employee of such organization, who is compensated for 27 work unrelated to the management or operation of games of chance, EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD89040-01-5 
 S. 5031 2 1 participates in the management or operation of any such game. Unless 2 otherwise provided by law, no single prize shall exceed two hundred 3 fifty dollars, nor shall any series of prizes on one occasion aggregate 4 more than one thousand dollars. The legislature shall pass appropriate 5 laws to effectuate the purposes of this subdivision, ensure that such 6 games are rigidly regulated to prevent commercialized gambling, prevent 7 participation by criminal and other undesirable elements and the diver- 8 sion of funds from the purposes authorized hereunder and establish a 9 method by which a municipality which has authorized such games may 10 rescind or revoke such authorization. Unless permitted by the legisla- 11 ture, no municipality shall have the power to pass local laws or ordi- 12 nances relating to such games. Nothing in this section shall prevent the 13 legislature from passing laws more restrictive than any of the 14 provisions of this section. 15 § 2. Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That the foregoing amendment 16 be referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the 17 next succeeding general election of members of the assembly, and, in 18 conformity with section 1 of article 19 of the constitution, be 19 published for three months previous to the time of such election.