BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2048
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 30, 2008
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mark Leno, Chair
AB 2048 (Silva) - As Amended: April 9, 2008
Policy Committee: Governmental
Organization Vote: 11 - 0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill increases the number of out-of-state or out-of-country
races that can be imported by a harness or quarter horse
association during a live meet from six to eight each day.
FISCAL EFFECT
Potential increase in state license fee revenues from increased
wagering opportunities.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . The sponsors of the bill, the Los Alamitos Quarter
Horse Racing Association, hope that increasing the number of
wagering opportunities during their live meets will provide
them with additional revenue that can be used to support the
breeding, owning and racing of harness and Quarter Horses and
allow them to expand their existing breeding incentives
program.
2)Background . In the late 1990's, California racetracks began
importing additional races from out-of-state locations to
provide California's horse racing patrons with the opportunity
to wager on quality races offered by racetracks throughout the
country. Since the introduction of this practice (which,
incidentally is authorized in many other states that likewise
allow pari-mutuel wagering on horse races), wagering on these
out-of-state races has been well received by betting patrons,
as evidenced by modest increases in overall wagering activity.
AB 2048
Page 2
This has also helped the industry offset a continued reduction
in on-track wagering activity.
3)Harness racing is a form of horse-racing in which
standard-bred horses race in a specified gait, either trotting
or a faster gait called pacing. The jockey sits in a
two-wheeled cart pulled by the horse. In California, harness
racing is held exclusively at Cal Expo in Sacramento. For
2008, the harness racing meets are scheduled from December 21,
2007 to July 31, 2008 and from September 10, 2008 to December
20, 2008.
4)Quarter horse racing in California is held exclusively at Los
Alamitos race track. Unlike thoroughbreds, which make up most
professional racing and often race longer distances, quarter
horses are bred to sprint short distances ranging from 220 to
870 yards. The Los Alamitos meet lasts virtually all year long
with the 2008 meet lasting from December 27, 2007 until
December 21, 2008.
Analysis Prepared by : Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916)
319-2081