[Approved by Governor March 29, 2016. Filed with Secretary of State March 29, 2016.]
AB 558, Low. Horse racing: nonthoroughbred races.
(1) The Horse Racing Law generally requires that any license granted to an association other than a fair is only for one type of racing, thoroughbred, harness, or quarter horse racing, as the case may be, except that the California Horse Racing Board may authorize the entering of thoroughbred and Appaloosa horses in quarter horse races at a distance not exceeding 5 furlongs at quarter horse meetings, mixed breed meetings, and fair meetings under specified conditions. That law, notwithstanding these provisions, empowers the board to authorize mixed breed racing that sanctions, among other things, either an association to conduct a quarter horse meeting to include Appaloosa races and Arabian races with the consent of the quarter horse horsemen’s organization or a race between a quarter horse and a thoroughbred horse at a thoroughbred meeting with the consent of the thoroughbred horsemen’s organization, if each contracts with the association with respect to the conduct of the racing meeting.
This bill would empower the board to authorize an association licensed to conduct a thoroughbred race meeting to include up to 6 nonthoroughbred races per calendar year with the consent of the organization representing thoroughbred horsemen and horsewomen, provided, however, that a nonthoroughbred race shall not be held when a fair in the northern zone is conducting a race meeting without that fair’s consent. Amounts deducted and distributed pursuant to the Horse Racing Law from wagering on nonthoroughbred races authorized pursuant to these provisions would be required to be deducted and distributed as if the wagers were placed on a thoroughbred race. By expanding the 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.
(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.
(3) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 19533.5 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:
(a) Notwithstanding Section 19533, the board may authorize the following mixed breed racing:
(1) An association licensed to conduct a quarter horse meeting to include Appaloosa races and Arabian races with the consent of the quarter horse horsemen’s organization contracting with the association with respect to the conduct of the racing meeting.
(2) A race between a quarter horse and a thoroughbred horse at a thoroughbred meeting with the consent of the thoroughbred horsemen’s organization contracting with the association with respect to the conduct of the racing meeting.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 19533, an association licensed to conduct quarter horse racing or a fair may conduct races that include paint horses racing with quarter horses or Appaloosa horses in the same race. When paint horses race with quarter horses, the consent of the organization that represents quarter horse horsemen and horsewomen shall first be obtained. A quarter horse association may write a race for paint horses only to replace an Appaloosa or Arabian race without increasing the average number of races run per race day with the consent of the organization representing the quarter horsemen and horsewomen.
(c) A quarter horse race with seven or more entries shall not be replaced by a race that includes paint horses, without the consent of the organization that represents quarter horse horsemen and horsewomen.
(d) Notwithstanding any other law, a quarter horse racing association or fair conducting barrel racing, paint horse racing, show jump racing, or steeplechase racing shall pay to the quarter horsemen’s organization the amount specified in Section 19613 for purposes of representing the horsemen and horsewomen conducting these races.
(e) Notwithstanding Section 19533, the board may authorize an association licensed to conduct a thoroughbred race meeting to include up to six nonthoroughbred races per calendar year with the consent of the organization representing thoroughbred horsemen and horsewomen, provided, however, that a nonthoroughbred race shall not be held when a fair in the northern zone is conducting a race meeting without that fair’s consent. Notwithstanding subdivision (b) of Section 19617.8, amounts deducted and distributed pursuant to this chapter from wagering on nonthoroughbred races authorized pursuant to this section shall be deducted and distributed as if the wagers were placed on a thoroughbred race.
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.
This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:
In order to ensure that the horse racing industry may continue to offer the highest level of racing possible and promote horse racing in California, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.
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