BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 1418|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
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CONSENT
Bill No: SB 1418
Author: Berryhill (R)
Amended: 3/26/12
Vote: 21
SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION COMM : 11-0, 4/10/12
AYES: Wright, Anderson, Berryhill, Calderon, Cannella,
Corbett, De León, Hernandez, Padilla, Walters, Yee
NO VOTE RECORDED: Evans, Wyland
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
SUBJECT : Horse racing: mixed breed meetings
SOURCE : California Authority of Racing Fairs
DIGEST : This bill makes the following 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, and (2) 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.
ANALYSIS : Article IV, Section 19(b) of the Constitution
of the State of California provides that the Legislature
CONTINUED
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may provide for the regulation of horse races and horse
race meetings and wagering on the results.
Existing law:
1.Grants the CHRB the authority to regulate the various
forms of horse racing authorized in this state.
2.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.
3.Limits the allocation of dates for mixed breed meetings
and combined fair horse racing meetings to between June 1
and October 31.
4.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.
5.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.
Comments
According to the author's office, 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 California Authority of Racing Fairs, and
proponents, believe that restricting the dates of such
events takes authority away from the CHRB.
The State's fair circuit generally consists of the
following fairs conducting approximately 90 plus days of
racing: San Joaquin County (Stockton), Alameda County
(Pleasanton), Solano County (Vallejo), Sonoma County (Santa
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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
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.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 4/30/12)
California Authority of Racing Fairs (source)
The Big Fresno Fair (per Senate Governmental Organization
Committee
analysis)
Sonoma County Fair
Thoroughbred Owners of California
DLW:nl 5/1/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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