BILL NUMBER: SB 721	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Padilla

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2013

   An act to amend Section 19549.12 of, and to repeal Section 19614.5
of, the Business and Professions Code, relating to horse racing.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 721, as introduced, Padilla. Horse racing: license fee
retention.
   (1) Existing law, the Horse Racing Law, generally regulates horse
racing and vests the administration and enforcement of the Horse
Racing Law in the California Horse Racing Board. A violation of the
act, where no other penalty is expressed, is a misdemeanor. Existing
law authorizes any county or district agricultural association fair
conducting racing meetings for the first time on or after January 1,
1979, to retain the applicable state license fee for payment of a
capital expense loan incurred for the purpose of preparing its
facilities for horse racing.
   This bill would repeal that authorization. Because this bill would
expand the scope of a crime by removing an exception, it would
create a state-mandated local program.
   The bill would also make conforming changes.
   (2) 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 19549.12 of the Business and Professions Code
is amended to read:
   19549.12.  Notwithstanding Sections 19482 and 19549, any weeks of
harness racing or quarter horse racing allocated by the board to be
raced at the facilities of a county fair  which 
 that  conducts its racing meeting pursuant to Section
19549.3 may be conducted by the fair.  License fees for
racing at the facilities of the county fair other than for the racing
days allocated pursuant to Section 19549.3 are exempt from Section
19614.5. 
  SEC. 2.  Section 19614.5 of the Business and Professions Code is
repealed. 
   19614.5.  Notwithstanding Section 19614, any county or district
agricultural association fair which is licensed to conduct racing
meetings for the first time on or after January 1, 1979, may retain
the license fee applicable to its meeting for payment of a capital
expense loan incurred for the purpose of preparing its facilities for
horseracing. This license fee retention shall be applicable only
during the loan period and only so long as all the moneys retained
are used to pay off the loan for the capital expenses. 
  SEC. 3.  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.