California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2765

Introduced by Committee on Governmental Organization (Assembly Members Hall (Chair), Nestande (Vice Chair), Bigelow, Chesbro, Cooley, Dababneh, Gray, Jones, Levine, Medina, Perea, V. Manuel Pérez, and Wilk)

March 28, 2014

An act to amend Section 19605.73 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to horse racing.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2765, as introduced, Committee on Governmental Organization. Horse racing: marketing organization.

Existing law, operative until January 1, 2015, authorizes thoroughbred racing associations, fairs, and the organization responsible for contracting with thoroughbred 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. If a marketing organization is formed, existing law requires an amount not to exceed 0.25% of the total amount handled by each satellite wagering facility to be distributed to the marketing organization, and imposes certain requirements on the marketing organization, including that the marketing organization annually submit certain information to the California Horse Racing Board. Violations of the Horse Racing Law are generally misdemeanors.

This bill would extend the operation of those provisions to January 1, 2017. By extending those provisions of the Horse Racing Law, a violation of which is a crime, the bill would create new crimes and would thereby impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 19605.73 of the Business and Professions
Code is amended to read:

19605.73.  

(a) Thoroughbred racing associations, fairs, and the
organization responsible for contracting with thoroughbred racing
associations and fairs with respect to the conduct of racing
meetings, may form a private, statewide marketing organization
to market and promote thoroughbred and fair horse racing,
including, but not limited to, the establishment and maintenance
of an Internet Web site featuring California thoroughbred and fair
racing, the establishment and administration of 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. While the promotional
activities at satellite wagering facilities shall be funded by the
marketing organization, they shall be implemented and coordinated
by representatives of the satellite wagering facilities and the
thoroughbred racing associations or fairs then conducting a live
race meet. The organization shall consist of the following members:
two members, one from the northern zone and one from the
combined central and southern zones, appointed by the
thoroughbred racetracks; two members, one from the northern
zone and one from the combined central and southern zones,
appointed by the owners’ organization responsible for contracting
with associations and fairs with respect to the conduct of racing
meetings; and two members, one from the northern zone and one
from the combined central and southern zones, appointed by the
organization representing racing and satellite fairs.

(b) The marketing organization formed pursuant to subdivision
(a) shall, by November 1 of each year, submit a written report to
the board on a statewide marketing and promotion plan for the
upcoming calendar year. In addition, the organization shall annually
present to the board at the board’s November meeting a verbal
report on the statewide marketing and promotion plan for the
upcoming calendar year. The plan shall be implemented as
determined by the organization. The organization shall receive
input from all interested industry participants and may utilize
outside consultants.

(c) In addition to the distributions specified in subdivisions (a)
and (b) of Section 19605.7, subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section
19605.71, and Section 19605.72, for thoroughbred and fair
meetings only, from the amount that would normally be available
for commissions and purses, an amount not to exceed 0.25 percent
of the total amount handled by each satellite wagering facility shall
be distributed to the marketing organization formed pursuant to
subdivision (a) for the purposes set forth therein. The amounts
initially distributed to the marketing organization formed pursuant
to subdivision (a) shall be 0.2 percent of the total amount handled
by satellite wagering facilities for thoroughbred and fair meetings
only. The amount distributable to the marketing organization may
be adjusted by the board, in its discretion. However, the adjusted
amounts may not exceed an aggregate of 0.25 percent of the total
amount handled by satellite wagering facilities for thoroughbred
and fair meetings only. Any of the promotion funds that are not
expended in the year in which they are collected may be expended
in the following year. If promotion funds expended in any one
year exceed the amount collected for that year, the funds expended
in the following year shall be reduced by the excess amount. The
marketing organization, on a quarterly basis, shall submit to the
board a written report that accounts for all receipts and expenditures
of the promotion funds for the previous three months.

(d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, begin delete 2015 end delete
begin insert 2017 end insert , and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute,
that is enacted before January 1, begin delete 2015 end delete begin insert 2017 end insert , deletes or extends
that date. Any moneys held by the organization shall, in the event
this section is repealed, be distributed to the organization formed
pursuant to Section 19608.2, for purposes of that section.

SEC. 2.  

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of
the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within
the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.