BILL NUMBER: S3618
SPONSOR: ORTT
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the state finance law, in relation to the tribal-state
compact revenue account
 
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to amend Section 99-h of the State Finance
Law to designate how revenues are distributed within the City of Niagara
Falls
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends section 1 of part V of section 99-h of the state
finance law to add a new subdivision 4 that would allocate monies
received each year as a portion of the negotiated percentage of the net
drop from electronic gaming devices from the operation of the gaming
facility in the city of Niagara Falls.
80% of the total annual amount received will be designated for the city
of Niagara Falls to accommodate and enhance economic development, neigh-
borhood revitalization, public health and safety, and infrastructure
improvement in the city.
The remaining 20% shall be allocated as follows: 5.5%, not to exceed
$750,000 to the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center; 5.5%, not to
exceed $750,000 to the Niagara Falls City School District; 7%, not to
exceed $1 million to the Niagara Tourism and Convention Center Corpo-
ration; 1% or $200,000, whichever is greater, to the Niagara Falls
Underground Railroad Heritage Commission's mission to operate an under-
ground railroad museum; $50,000 to the Mount Saint Mary's Neighborhood
Health Center, $50,000 to the Niagara Falls Housing Authority, and the
remainder of the money to the City of Niagara Falls for infrastructure
and road improvement projects.
Each entity receiving funds is required to submit an annual report
including an accounting of all moneys and the expenditures of
the.moneys.
The legislation also requires the City of Niagara Falls to make addi-
tional payments if they fail to disburse funds as required. Lastly, the
legislation provides that any money specifically allocated that cannot
be received or utilized will be distributed to the City of Niagara Falls
for economic development projects within the city.
Section 2 sets forth an immediate effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Pursuant to Section 99-h of the State Finance Law, the City of Niagara
Falls receives moneys as a portion of the negotiated percentage of the
net drop from electronic gaming devices from the gaming facility located
in the City. A portion of the money goes to the City of Niagara Falls
and the remaining money is delineated to entities in the City of Niagara
Falls. This law is set to expire on December 31, 2023, at which time the
money will not be specifically divided out. This legislation is needed
to ensure that entities such as the hospital and city school district
receive the funds they have been receiving for over a decade.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S.7411B Referred to Rules
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S3618: 99-h state finance law