BILL ANALYSIS Ó
------------------------------------------------------------
|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 280|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
|(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
------------------------------------------------------------
CONSENT
Bill No: AB 280
Author: Silva (R)
Amended: 3/14/11 in Assembly
Vote: 21
SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION COMM : 13-0, 06/28/11
AYES: Wright, Anderson, Berryhill, Calderon, Cannella,
Corbett, De León, Evans, Hernandez, Padilla, Strickland,
Wyland, Yee
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 78-0, 05/19/11 (Consent) - See last page
for vote
SUBJECT : Horse racing: California-bred horses and
parimutuel tickets
SOURCE : Los Alamitos Race Course
DIGEST : This bill modifies the definition of a
California-bred standardbred horse and revises an existing
provision of Horse Racing Law pertaining to the base purse
in specified racing events. Specifically, this bill: (1)
revises the definition of a California-bred standardbred
horse by deleting the requirement that the standardbred
foal be conceived in California, in order to qualify for
the California Standardbred Sires Stakes Program (CSSSP),
(2) deletes the requirement that base purses for each set
of races be equal for all two-year-old and three-year-old
races regardless of sex and gait, including the exception
requiring a minimum base purse of 75 percent of the
CONTINUED
AB 280
Page
2
original base purse if divisions are raced, and instead
simply requires that all base purses for each set of races
conducted during any given year at any race meeting be
determined by the California Standardbred Sires Stakes
Committee (CSSSC), and (3) makes a technical,
non-substantive change to a provision relating to altering
or counterfeiting, or attempting to alter or counterfeit,
any parimutuel ticket.
ANALYSIS : Existing law provides that the California
Horse Racing Board (CHRB) is responsible for adopting rules
and regulations for the protection of the public and the
control of horse racing and parimutuel wagering, as well as
enforcing all laws, rules, and regulations dealing with
horse racing and parimutuel wagering.
Existing law defines a "California-bred standardbred horse"
as a standardbred foal conceived in California by a
stallion registered with the CSSSP. Additionally,
existing law establishes a CSSSP for standardbred horses,
including harness horses, bred in this state.
Existing law requires that CSSP races be scheduled for
2-year-old and 3-year-old trotters and 2-year-old and
3-year-old pacers at the discretion of the CSSSC, except as
specified.
Existing law requires that base purses for each set of
races, as defined, conducted during any given year at any
race meeting be determined by the committee and requires
that those purses be equal for all 2-year-old and
3-year-old races regardless of sex and gait, except that,
if divisions are raced, the base purse for each division
shall be no less than 75 percent of the original base purse
and, if elimination heats are raced, the base purse shall
be determined by the CSSSC.
Existing law prohibits any person from altering or
counterfeiting, or attempting to alter or counterfeit, any
parimutuel ticket.
This bill modifies the definition of a California-bred
standardbred horse and revises an existing provision of
Horse Racing Law pertaining to the base purse in specified
CONTINUED
AB 280
Page
3
racing events. Specifically, this bill:
1.Revises the definition of a California-bred standardbred
horse by deleting the requirement that the standardbred
foal be conceived in California, in order to qualify for
CSSSP.
2.Deletes the requirement that base purses for each set of
races be equal for all two-year-old and three-year-old
races regardless of sex and gait, including the exception
requiring a minimum base purse of 75 percent of the
original base purse if divisions are raced, and instead
simply requires that all base purses for each set of
races conducted during any given year at any race meeting
be determined by the CSSSC.
3.Makes a technical, non-substantive change to a provision
relating to altering or counterfeiting, or attempting to
alter or counterfeit, any parimutuel ticket.
Prior Legislation
AB 1578 (Governmental Organization Committee), Chapter 550,
Statutes of 2009, among other things, required 15 percent
of the funds remaining after specified deductions from
conventional and exotic parimutuel wagering pools resulting
from thoroughbred wagers made in California to be used for
the payment of bonuses to California-bred horses in maiden
allowance races in California.
AB 2538 (Strickland), Chapter 278, Statutes of 2004,
changed the definition of a California standardbred horse
for these purposes to a standardbred foal conceived in
California by a stallion registered with the California
Standardbred Sire Stakes Program, deleting the requirements
in existing law that the mare drop the horse in California
after the conception.
SB 738 (Karnette), Chapter 24, Statutes of 2003, defined a
"California bred standardbred horse" as a standardbred foal
dropped by a mare in California after being conceived in
California by a stallion registered with CSSSP.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No
CONTINUED
AB 280
Page
4
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 6/29/11)
Los Alamitos Race Course (source)
California Harness Horsemen's Association
Standard Sires Stakes Program
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : Supporters state that the
California Legislature created CSSSC in 1977 to "encourage
agriculture and the breeding of horses in California." In
short, the CSSSC's purpose is to provide financial
incentives for the breeding and development of standardbred
racehorses. In 2010, over $800,000 was distributed in
purse awards to owners, trainers, drivers, breeders and
sire owners of horses placing first through fifth in all
stakes races.
Supporters claim that a change to the current definition of
a Cal-bred standardbred is necessary due to the decline in
the number of standardbred sires in California. The
decline of the harness racing industry has resulted in
fewer stallions standing in California for breeding
purposes.
Supporters note that the CSSSP was established before
artificial insemination was permitted for breeding
standardbred horses in California. Now that artificial
insemination is allowed it has had far-reaching effects
relative to the ability to breed a stallion to a larger
number of mares and the strengthening of the speed and
power of the modern standardbred horse.
Supporters state that this bill is intended to allow the
CSSSP to adjust to economic and industry changes, by
permitting a foal which is the product of artificial
insemination, to be eligible for the Sire Stakes series
races, purses and awards even if the standardbred foal was
not conceived in California. Additionally, this bill would
make necessary changes to the statutes governing the base
purse in order to grant the Sire Stakes Committee more
flexibility.
CONTINUED
AB 280
Page
5
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 78-0, 05/19/11 (Consent)
AYES: Achadjian, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall, Bill
Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford,
Brownley, Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos,
Carter, Cedillo, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Davis, Dickinson,
Donnelly, Eng, Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani,
Beth Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, Gatto, Gordon, Grove,
Hagman, Halderman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi, Roger
Hernández, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman, Jeffries, Jones,
Knight, Lara, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mansoor,
Mendoza, Miller, Mitchell, Monning, Morrell, Nestande,
Nielsen, Norby, Olsen, Pan, Perea, V. Manuel Pérez,
Portantino, Silva, Skinner, Smyth, Solorio, Swanson,
Torres, Valadao, Wagner, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada,
John A. Pérez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Alejo, Gorell
PQ:nl 6/29/11 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
**** END ****
CONTINUED