Opinion ID: 2001496
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Part B of Chapter 383 of the Laws of 2001

Text: In October 2001, the State Legislature met in an emergency session to consider measures to assist those devastated by the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center disaster, promote economic development in the state and generate revenue. Late in the session, each branch of the Legislature considered an omnibus, 81-page bill containing 27 distinct parts, including three parts relating to gambling (2001 NY Senate-Assembly Bill S 5828, A 9459). [4] During the Senate and Assembly debates on these bills, legislators discussed a number of items, including, but not limited to, (1) the process by which the bills came before them (each bill was accompanied by a message of necessity and an immediate vote was required after the debate), (2) the relatively short time that they had to consider the important and wide-sweeping bills, the proposed gambling provisions, especially part B, which were touted as a means of generating revenue and criticized both generally as a drastic departure from New York's policy against commercial gambling and specifically regarding the evils associated with such gambling, [5] (3) the fact that many rank and file legislators were left in the dark regarding the decision-making process on these provisions (e.g., some legislators commented that there were no public hearings or conference committees for the proposed gambling measures), and (4) the fact that a number of legislators indicated that they would vote to pass the bills because, although they did not necessarily agree with the proposed gambling measures, they fully supported other proposed measures, including those which provided for low cost electricity to businesses dislocated as a result of the destruction of the World Trade Center, an expansion of the Child Health Plus system, Urban Development Corporation loan guarantees, and the creation of liberty zones for the World Trade Center Disaster Area. On October 24 and 25, 2001, the Legislature passed these bills, which became chapter 383 of the Laws of 2001. This case involves a challenge to the constitutionality of parts B, C and D of chapter 383. However, for purposes of this opinion, I focus on part B of chapter 383 of the Laws of 2001 which: (1) provides that the Governor may execute a tribal-state compact with the Seneca Nation of Indians pursuant to [IGRA] consistent with a memorandum of understanding [MOU] between the governor and the president of the Seneca Nation of Indians executed on June [20, 2001] (Executive Law § 12 [a]); [6] (2) permits the Governor to execute tribal-state gaming compacts authorizing up to three class III gaming facilities in the counties of Sullivan and Ulster (Executive Law § 12 [b]); [7] and (3) provides that, [p]ossession of a slot machine shall not be unlawful where such possession and use is pursuant to a gaming compact, duly executed by the governor and an Indian tribe or Nation, under [IGRA] . . . (Penal Law § 225.30 [b]). On August 18, 2002, the Seneca Nation of Indians entered into a compact with New York State. [8] To date, two casinos have been built pursuant to this compact. On or about December 31, 2002, the Seneca Niagara Casino in Niagara Falls, New York opened for business ( see Brief for Park Place Entertainment Corporation, at 24; Seneca Gaming Corporation Company Overview, , cached at ). On or about May 1, 2004, the Seneca Allegany Casino in Salamanca, New York opened for business ( see Seneca Gaming Corporation Company Overview). Both casinos are currently operating.