BILL ANALYSIS Ó
Bill No: SB
1418
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Senator Roderick D. Wright, Chair
2011-2012 Regular Session
Staff Analysis
SB 1418 Author: Berryhill
As Amended: March 26, 2012
Hearing Date: April 10, 2012
Consultant: Art Terzakis
SUBJECT
Horse Racing
DESCRIPTION
SB 1418 makes the following substantive changes in
California Horse Racing Law:
1.Deletes the current calendar period restriction (only
between June 1 and October 31) during which the
California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) may allocate
combined fair horse racing meetings thus allowing the
CHRB greater flexibility in allocation of racing dates.
2.Also, deletes the requirement that the mixed breed
meetings be conducted by an entity other than the
California Exposition and State Fair (Cal-Expo) and that
the mixed breed meetings encourage the racing of emerging
breeds of horses.
EXISTING LAW
Article IV, Section 19(b) of the Constitution of the State
of California provides that the Legislature may provide for
the regulation of horse races and horse race meetings and
wagering on the results.
Existing law grants the California Horse Racing Board
(CHRB) the authority to regulate the various forms of horse
racing authorized in this state. ÝBusiness and Professions
Code 19420, et al]
SB 1418 (Berryhill) continued
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Existing law authorizes the CHRB to allocate racing weeks
to an applicant and to specify the racing days, dates, and
hours for horse racing meetings as will be in the public
interest and will serve the purposes of the law.
Existing law limits the allocation of dates for mixed breed
meetings and combined fair horse racing meetings to between
June 1 and October 31. ÝB & P Code 19549.1(a)]
Existing law prohibits the allocation of days for a mixed
breed meeting or a combined fair horse racing meeting
during the month of June at Cal-Expo if a standardbred
meeting is being conducted at that facility during that
month. ÝB & P Code 19549.1(b)]
Existing law also requires that the mixed breed meetings be
conducted by an entity other than Cal-Expo as specified,
and that the meeting encourage the racing of emerging
breeds of horses. ÝB & P Code 19549.1(b)]
BACKGROUND
Purpose of SB 1418: The author's office notes that the
CHRB is currently authorized to allocate dates and make
other decisions it finds are in the best interest of the
racing industry. According to the author's office, this
measure is simply intended to delete existing restrictions
and grant the CHRB greater flexibility in providing
combined fair horse racing meets, provided the industry
comes forth with such a proposal. The sponsor, the
California Authority of Racing Fairs (CARF), and
proponents, believe that restricting the dates of such
events takes authority away from the CHRB.
Comments: The State's fair circuit generally consists of
the following fairs conducting approximately 90+ days of
racing: San Joaquin County (Stockton), Alameda County
(Pleasanton), Solano County (Vallejo), Sonoma County (Santa
Rosa), San Mateo County (San Mateo), Humboldt County
(Ferndale), Fresno County (Fresno), and the Los Angeles
County Fair (Pomona). In addition to mixed-breed meets at
Cal-Expo (Sacramento), a harness (Standard-bred) racing
meet is conducted at various times of the year at the
Cal-Expo facility. Following the demolition of Bay Meadows
in 2008, which was adjacent to the San Mateo County
Fairgrounds and used by the fair to run its live horse
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racing meet, San Mateo's dates have been run at Golden Gate
Fields in Albany. Solano's dates have been split between
Alameda County and Sonoma County for which Solano receives
compensation.
PRIOR/RELATED LEGISLATION
SB 1227 (Negrete McLeod) 2011-12 Session. Would modify a
provision of Horse Racing Law which currently provides for
a 1% deduction from wagers at fair racing meets for deposit
into the Fair and Exposition Fund (F&E Fund) for specified
purposes and instead diverts the distribution of the 1%
license fee equally between the fair that conducted the
racing meet (as commissions) and to the horsemen and
horsewomen who participated in the racing meet (as purses).
(Pending in Senate Appropriations Committee)
SB 561 (Margett) Chapter 380, Statutes of 2008. Among
other things, granted greater flexibility to the CHRB in
allocating racing dates in Northern California in response
to the closure of Bay Meadows race track.
AB 2205 (Garrick) Chapter 448, Statutes of 2008. Allowed
the Del Mar Fairgrounds to use allocations of racing weeks
from the central zone and to conduct thoroughbred racing
throughout the year.
AB 3073 (Governmental Organization) Chapter 509, Statutes
of 2008. Among other things, deleted the requirement in
existing law that horse racing days at fairs be during the
period in which general fair activities are conducted.
AB 3090 (Machado) Chapter 741, Statutes of 1996.
Authorized the CHRB to allocate combined fair horseracing
meeting between July 1 and October 31, the traditional
summer fair racing dates.
SUPPORT: As of April 6, 2012:
California Authority of Racing Fairs (sponsor)
The Big Fresno Fair
Sonoma County Fair
OPPOSE: None on file as of April 6, 2012.
FISCAL COMMITTEE: Senate Appropriations Committee
SB 1418 (Berryhill) continued
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