BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                            



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                                        VETO


          Bill No:  SB 398
          Author:   Galgiani (D)
          Amended:  9/10/13
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE  :  11-0, 4/9/13
          AYES:  Wright, Nielsen, Berryhill, Calderon, Cannella, Correa,  
            De León, Galgiani, Hernandez, Lieu, Padilla

           SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE  :  Senate Rule 28.8

           SENATE FLOOR  :  36-0, 4/25/13 (Consent)
          AYES:  Anderson, Beall, Berryhill, Block, Calderon, Cannella,  
            Corbett, Correa, De León, DeSaulnier, Emmerson, Evans, Fuller,  
            Gaines, Galgiani, Hancock, Hernandez, Hill, Hueso, Huff,  
            Jackson, Knight, Lara, Leno, Lieu, Liu, Monning, Nielsen,  
            Pavley, Price, Roth, Steinberg, Walters, Wright, Wyland, Yee
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Padilla, Wolk, Vacancy, Vacancy

           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  78-0, 9/12/13 - See last page for vote

           SENATE FLOOR  :  38-0, 9/12/13
          AYES:  Anderson, Berryhill, Block, Calderon, Cannella, Corbett,  
            Correa, De León, DeSaulnier, Emmerson, Evans, Fuller, Gaines,  
            Galgiani, Hancock, Hernandez, Hill, Hueso, Huff, Jackson,  
            Knight, Lara, Leno, Lieu, Liu, Monning, Nielsen, Padilla,  
            Pavley, Roth, Steinberg, Torres, Vidak, Walters, Wolk, Wright,  
            Wyland, Yee
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Beall, Vacancy


           SUBJECT  :    Horse racing:  distribution of proceeds
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                                                                     SB 398
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           SOURCE  :     California Authority of Racing Fairs


           DIGEST  :    This bill provides that revenue raised by horse  
          racing associations, from their mandated charity racing days,  
          may be distributed to a nonprofit corporation or trust that has  
          as its sole purpose the support of recognized fairs or the  
          network of California fairs, and extends a sunset date.

           ANALYSIS  :    

          Existing law:

          1. Provides that each licensed horse racing association shall  
             designate three to five racing days as charity days by the  
             licensee for the purpose of distribution of the net proceeds  
             to charitable beneficiaries. 

          2. Provides that at least 20% of the distribution from charity  
             day racing must be made to charities associated with the  
             horse racing industry.  In addition to this 20%, another 5%  
             of the distribution must go to a welfare fund established for  
             the benefit of horsemen, horsewomen and backstretch  
             personnel, as specified, and another 5% of the distribution  
             must be provided to a nonprofit corporation assisting  
             horsemen, horsewomen and backstretch personnel who are  
             affected adversely as a result of alcohol or substance abuse.

          3. Requires that an additional 20% of the distribution from  
             charity day racing, up to a maximum of $2 million, be  
             provided as an endowment for a nonprofit corporation or trust  
             which assists disabled jockeys.

          4. Provides that the Legislature may provide for the regulation  
             of horse races and horse race meetings and wagering on the  
             results. 

          5. Grants the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) the authority  
             to regulate the various forms of horse racing authorized in  
             this state.

          6. Authorizes the CHRB to increase the amount set aside under  
             current law for simulcast operating expenses for a  

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                                                                     SB 398
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             Thoroughbred race meet in the northern zone and in the  
             central and southern zones to up to 4%.

          This bill:

          1. Provides that revenue raised by horse racing associations,  
             from their mandated charity racing days, may be distributed  
             to a nonprofit corporation or trust that has as its sole  
             purpose the support of recognized fairs or the network of  
             California fairs.

          2. Extends a sunset date in existing law from December 31, 2013  
             until December 31, 2016, to allow a thoroughbred racing  
             association in the northern zone to deduct up to 4% of the  
             in-state satellite wagering handle for simulcast operating  
             expenses, as specified.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  Yes    
          Local:  No

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  9/12/13)

          California Authority of Racing Fairs (source)


           ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT :    The author's office points out that for  
          more than 75 years, horse racing license fees was the primary  
          source of funding for fairs.  In 2009, as part of the State  
          Budget negotiations, SB 16 X2 (Ashburn, Chapter 12, Statutes of  
          2009-10 Second Extraordinary Session) shifted the responsibility  
          for funding fairs from horse racing license fees to the state  
          General Fund.  Elimination of the license fees was intended to  
          help the racing industry and provide a dedicated revenue stream  
          from the General Fund ($32 million) to the network of fairs.  In  
          2011, the General Fund support for fairs was eliminated as part  
          of a package of cuts designed to help deal with the state's  
          ongoing fiscal crisis.  According to the author's office, this  
          bill is intended to give the horse racing industry the ability  
          to, once again, contribute to the well-being of California's  
          fairs.  


           GOVERNOR'S VETO MESSAGE:
           

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                                                                     SB 398
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               "I am returning Senate Bill 398 without my signature. 

               This bill states that revenues generated from horseracing  
               charity days may be used to fund a nonprofit corporation or  
               trust that supports a recognized fair or the network of  
               California fairs. 

               Under current law any nonprofit organization engaged in  
               charitable, benevolent or civic activities -- including one  
               supporting fairs -- may benefit from revenues generated  
               from horseracing charity days.  It is not clear why a  
               separate designation is needed."


           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  : 78-0, 09/12/13
          AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Bigelow, Bloom,  
            Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bonta, Bradford, Brown, Buchanan, Ian  
            Calderon, Campos, Chau, Chávez, Chesbro, Conway, Cooley,  
            Dahle, Daly, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eggman, Fong, Fox, Frazier,  
            Beth Gaines, Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gorell,  
            Gray, Grove, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Roger Hernández, Holden,  
            Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Linder, Logue, Lowenthal,  
            Maienschein, Mansoor, Medina, Melendez, Mitchell, Morrell,  
            Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Nestande, Olsen, Pan, Patterson,  
            Perea, V. Manuel Pérez, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Rendon, Salas,  
            Skinner, Stone, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wieckowski,  
            Wilk, Williams, Yamada, John A. Pérez
          NO VOTE RECORDED: Vacancy, Vacancy


          MW:d:n  1/6/14   Senate Floor Analyses 

                           SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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