BILL ANALYSIS ------------------------------------------------------------ |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 1072| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |1020 N Street, Suite 524 | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ------------------------------------------------------------ UNFINISHED BUSINESS Bill No: SB 1072 Author: Calderon (D) Amended: 8/20/10 Vote: 21 SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORG. COMMITTEE : 7-0, 4/27/10 AYES: Wright, Denham, Florez, Negrete McLeod, Price, Wyland, Yee NO VOTE RECORDED: Harman, Calderon, Oropeza, Padilla SENATE FLOOR : 34-0, 5/3/10 AYES: Aanestad, Ashburn, Cedillo, Cogdill, Corbett, Correa, Cox, Denham, DeSaulnier, Ducheny, Dutton, Florez, Hancock, Harman, Hollingsworth, Huff, Kehoe, Leno, Liu, Lowenthal, Negrete McLeod, Oropeza, Padilla, Pavley, Price, Romero, Runner, Simitian, Strickland, Walters, Wolk, Wright, Wyland, Yee NO VOTE RECORDED: Alquist, Calderon, Steinberg, Wiggins, Vacancy, Vacancy ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 56-10, 8/30/10 - See last page for vote SUBJECT : Horse racing: statewide marketing organization SOURCE : California Authority of Racing Fairs DIGEST : This bill extends the sunset date from January 1, 2011, to January 1, 2014, in existing law relating to a private statewide marketing organization to market and promote thoroughbred and fair horse racing in California. CONTINUED SB 1072 Page 2 This bill also provides that an amount not to exceed 0.05 percent of the total amount handled by each satellite wagering facility shall be distributed to the nonprofit organization designated by the California Horse Racing Board for the purpose of maintaining a database of horse racing information. Assembly Amendments add all of the provisions to the bill other than extending the sunset date. ANALYSIS : Existing law provides that the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) regulates the various forms of horse racing authorized in this state. Existing law authorizes a California racing association to execute an agreement with any other racing association conducting thoroughbred races in the southern racing zone to allow the other association to distribute the signal and accept wagers on out-of-state and international races. Existing law permits racing associations, fairs, and the organization responsible for contracting with racing associations and fairs with respect to the conduct of racing meetings, to form a private, statewide marketing organization to market and promote thoroughbred and fair horse racing, and to obtain, provide, or defray the cost of workers' compensation coverage for stable employees and jockeys of thoroughbred trainers. Existing law requires the marketing organization to annually submit to the CHRB a statewide marketing and promotion plan and a thoroughbred trainers' workers' compensation defrayal plan for thoroughbred and fair horse racing. A specified percentage of the amount handled by each satellite wagering facility is required to be distributed to the marketing organization for the promotion of thoroughbred and fair horse racing, and for workers' compensation defrayal, as specified. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2011. Existing law authorizes California Thoroughbred owners to deduct a portion of their purse pools to participate in the "national marketing" association, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. Existing law allows uncommitted surplus funds in the horse CONTINUED SB 1072 Page 3 racing Marketing Promotion Fund or the horse racing Workers' Compensation Fund, to be reallocated to any other fund or account created pursuant to the Horse Racing Law. This bill: 1. Provides that the statewide marketing organization may use funds to market and promote thoroughbred and fair horse racing, including, but not limited to: A. Establishment and maintenance of a Web site featuring California thoroughbred and fair racing. B. Establishment and administration of a players incentive programs for those who wager on thoroughbred association and fair races, and promotional activities at satellite wagering facilities to increase their attendance and handle, as defined. 2. Changes the distribution amount that would normally be available for commissions and purses, from 0.4 percent to an amount not to exceed 0.25 percent of the total amount handled by each satellite wagering facility which in then distributed to the marketing organization, as specified. 3. Deletes a provision which provides that the statewide marketing organization may use funds to defray the cost of workers' compensation coverage for stable employees and jockeys of thoroughbred trainers. 4. Provides that the marketing organization shall provide specific reports to CHRB, as defined. 5. Provides an amount not to exceed 0.05 percent of the total amount handled by each satellite wagering facility shall be distributed to the non-profit organization designated by CHRB for the purpose of maintaining a database of horse racing information, as defined. 6. States that the amount distributed to such nonprofit organization may be adjusted by CHRB, in its discretion. CONTINUED SB 1072 Page 4 7. Requires the nonprofit organization shall annually submit to CHRB at its November meeting its budget for the ensuing calendar year and shall file quarterly financial statements with the board. 8. Extends the sunset date from January 1, 2011, to January 1, 2014 Comments According to the author's office, "SB 27 (Maddy), Chapter 335, Statutes of 1998, among its provision, created a private statewide marketing organization for thoroughbred and fair racing that is funded by .4 percent of the instate off-track handle. The funds generated from this distribution are used to market California horse racing on a statewide basis. The California Marketing Committee (CMC) is generally responsible for promoting horse racing in the state by developing and implementing a marketing plan that will increase on-track and off-track attendance throughout the state. AB 1736 (Governmental Organization), Chapter 444, Statutes of 2007, extended the sunset to January 1, 2011. SB 1072 will extend the sunset of the program until January 1, 2014." This bill also makes various modifications to the manner in which the marketing organization may expend its revenue. Supporters note that this adjustment takes into consideration current marketing and promotion trends which will lead to fiscally responsible business decisions. In addition, the bill contains language which provides an amount not to exceed 0.05 percent of the total amount handled by each satellite wagering facility shall be distributed to the non-profit organization (CHRIMS) designated by the CHRB for the purpose of maintaining a database of horse racing information, as defined. Supporters note, that the original funding for the development of CHRIMS was provided by un-cashed vouchers [AB 1418 (Tucker), Chapter 311, Statutes of 1994]. As account wagering has proliferated and on-track and off-track wagering have experienced severe declines in handle due to economic conditions the revenues from CONTINUED SB 1072 Page 5 vouchers have declined dramatically. CHRIMS has filled the funding gap through the deferral of equipment and software upgrades, direct industry surcharges and through the development of outside revenues from services provided to customers in other states. However, voucher revenues have continued to decline and are projected to decline by $125,000 in 2010. In addition, CHRIMS must repay capital equipment financing provided by Oak Tree Racing Association which was used to replace equipment on the verge of failure and replace revenues from services previously provided to CMC for its player rewards and database marketing efforts. This bill will help to ensure that CHRIMS remains a valuable technology and marketing tool for California's horse racing industry. Related Legislation AB 2414 (John A. Perez) requires for every year that the organization operating the Breeders' Cup Championship series chooses to conduct the series of races in California, the statewide marketing organization shall enter into an agreement, in consultation and cooperation with the California Tourism Commission and with the organization that operates the Breeders' Cup to sponsor and promote the event. The bill requires a minimum $2 million investment (CMC funding) in the marketing and promotion of the Breeders' Cup Championship. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee. FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, funding for the CMC comes from the in-state off-track wagering handle. 0.4 percent of the amount wagered is provided to the CMC for marketing horse racing in the state. In 2009, the CMC received approximately $5 million for marketing. Extending the sunset would result in continuing the annual redirection of the handle. Minor and absorbable costs for CMC to produce a semi-annual report on receipts and expenditures and for CHRB to audit and review the reports. SUPPORT : (Verified 8/27/10) CONTINUED SB 1072 Page 6 California Authority of Racing Fairs (source) ASSEMBLY FLOOR : AYES: Ammiano, Anderson, Bass, Beall, Block, Blumenfield, Bradford, Brownley, Buchanan, Caballero, Charles Calderon, Carter, Chesbro, Conway, Coto, Davis, De La Torre, De Leon, Evans, Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani, Galgiani, Garrick, Gatto, Gilmore, Hall, Hayashi, Hernandez, Hill, Huber, Huffman, Jones, Lieu, Ma, Mendoza, Miller, Nava, Nestande, Norby, V. Manuel Perez, Portantino, Salas, Saldana, Silva, Solorio, Audra Strickland, Swanson, Torlakson, Torres, Torrico, Tran, Villines, John A. Perez NOES: Adams, Bill Berryhill, DeVore, Gaines, Harkey, Knight, Niello, Nielsen, Skinner, Smyth NO VOTE RECORDED: Arambula, Tom Berryhill, Cook, Eng, Fuller, Hagman, Jeffries, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Monning, Ruskin, Yamada, Vacancy, Vacancy TSM:mw 8/31/10 Senate Floor Analyses SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE **** END **** CONTINUED