BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 897
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 897 (Hall)
As Introduced February 17, 2011
Majority vote
GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION 15-0APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
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|Ayes:|Hall, Nestande, Atkins, |Ayes:|Fuentes, Harkey, |
| |Block, Blumenfield, | |Blumenfield, Bradford, |
| |Chesbro, Cook, Valadao, | |Charles Calderon, Campos, |
| |Gatto, Hill, Ma, Perea, | |Davis, Donnelly, Gatto, |
| |V. Manuel Pérez, Silva, | |Hall, Hill, Lara, |
| |Torres | |Mitchell, Nielsen, Norby, |
| | | |Solorio, Wagner |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Allows a quarter horse racing association to offer
wagering on specific live races that are run in another state on
a designated day. Specifically, this bill :
1) Permits the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) to authorize
a licensed quarter horse racing association that is conducting a
live racing meeting to accept wagers on the full card of races
conducted by another racing association on the day that other
association conducts the Texas Classic Futurity and Remington
Park Futurity, as specified.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Provides that CHRB regulate the various forms of horse racing
authorized in this state.
2)Authorizes a licensed quarter horse racing association that is
conducting a live racing meeting in this state to accept
wagers on races conducted by the racing association that
conducts the American Quarter Horse Racing Challenge, if the
races are conducted on the same day as the American Quarter
Horse Racing Challenge.
3)Permits a harness or Quarter Horse association conducting a
race meeting to accept wagers on the results of out-of-state,
out-of-country, and sometimes other harness or Quarter Horse
races, if specified conditions are met, including that the
AB 897
Page 2
association conducts at least seven live races and imports not
more than eight races on live racing days, as specified.
4)Authorizes the inclusion of wagers in the pari-mutuel pools of
the out-of-state association that conducts the races on which
the wagers are placed.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, potential increase in revenue available to fund the
CHRB and the Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry
Laboratory at the University of California, Davis due to
increased wagering opportunities.
COMMENTS :
Purpose of the bill : This bill will allow the quarter horse
racing association in California to import all of the races
conducted on the day of the Texas Classic Futurity and the
Remington Park Futurity irrespective of the eight-race
day limit. The author intends for this bill to give the
California quarter horse racing industry a marketing tool to
increase on-track and off-track attendance on this specific day.
As a result of the increased attendance, the author hopes this
bill will provide the industry with a mechanism to increase
track commissions, purses, and breeder's awards.
Background : In the late 1990s, California racetracks began
importing additional races from out-of-state locations to
provide California's horse racing patrons with the opportunity
to wager on quality races offered by racetracks throughout the
country. Since the introduction of this practice (which,
incidentally is authorized in many other states that likewise
allow pari-mutuel wagering on horse races), wagering on these
out-of-state races has been well received by the betting patron,
as evidenced by modest increases in overall wagering activity.
This has also helped the industry offset a continued reduction
in on-track wagering activity.
Quarter Horse racing in California is held exclusively at Los
Alamitos racetrack. Unlike Thoroughbreds, which make up most
professional racing and often race longer distances, Quarter
Horses are bred to sprint short distances ranging from 220 to
870 yards. The Los Alamitos meet operates all year long with
the 2011 meet running from January 1, 2011, until December 18,
AB 897
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2011.
Prior legislation : AB 2201 (Coto), Chapter 253, Statutes of
2010, authorized CHRB to permit a California harness racing
association to accept wagers on the full card of races conducted
by another racing association on the date of the "Cane Pace."
AB 3074 (Governmental Organization Committee), Chapter 510,
Statutes of 2008, allows a harness racing association in
California to import all of the races conducted on Kentucky
Futurity day.
AB 2048 (Silva) Chapter 439, Statutes of 2008, among other
things, allowed harness and quarter horse racing associations
and fairs to offer wagering on eight harness or quarter horse
races broadcast by satellite on each day live races are run.
SB 1183 (Margett) Chapter 232, Statutes of 2004, authorized a
harness association to import the full cards of races held by
the association hosting the Breeder's Crown Stakes, the
Meadowlands Pace, the Hambletonian, or the North American Cup on
the days that those races are being run.
Analysis Prepared by : Eric Johnson / G. O. / (916) 319-2531
FN: 0000537