SB 561 Senate Bill

BILL NUMBER: SB 561	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 16, 2008

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Margett

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2007

   An act to amend  Section 19592   Sections
19532, 19549, and 19549.1  of the Business and Professions Code,
relating to horse racing  and, making an appropriation therefor
 .



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 561, as amended, Margett. Horse racing:  parimutuel
wagering: technology  .   racing days.
 
   Existing law limits an association licensed to conduct
thoroughbred racing in the northern zone to 22 weeks of that racing.
 
   This bill would instead allow an association licensed to conduct
thoroughbred racing in the northern zone up to 35 weeks of that
racing. 
   Existing law  requires the parimutuel system of wagering
be operated only by a totalizator or other equipment approved by the
Horse Racing Board   generally limits the maximum number
of racing days allocated to a fair to 14 days each year and limits
those racing days   to the period in which general fair
activities are conducted  .
   This bill would  include electronic terminal wagering as
an authorized form of totalizator wagering   expand the
maximum period for racing allocated to a fair to 4 weeks each year
and would remove the   prohibition on racing outside of the
period in which general fair activities are conducted  . 
   Existing law limits the allocation of dates for a combined fair
horse racing meeting to between July 1 and October 31, and places a
limit on the total combined number of dates allocated for those
meetings.  
   This bill would authorize combined fair horse racing meetings
during the month of June, and would delete that limitation on the
total combined number of dates for combined fair horse racing
meetings.  
   By expanding the number of racing dates each year, this bill would
authorize additional wagering and would increase the amount of
continuously appropriated license fees, thereby making an
appropriation. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation:  no   yes
. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  .
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.    Section 19532 of the  
Business and Professions Code   is amended to read: 
   19532.  (a) Any association licensed to conduct thoroughbred
racing in the northern zone may receive no more than  22
  35  weeks of that racing.
   (b) Any association licensed to conduct thoroughbred racing in the
central zone may receive no more than 17 weeks of that racing,
except that any association which conducts a split meeting may
receive up to 20 weeks of that racing. No more than one such split
meeting may be licensed in any one year.
   (c) This section and Section 19531 shall not operate to deprive
any association of any weeks of racing granted during 1980.
   (d) This section and Section 19531 shall not operate to deprive
the California State Fair and Exposition of any weeks of racing
granted during the previous calendar year, and the board may continue
to allocate those weeks of racing to the California Exposition and
State Fair or any lessee thereof.
   (e) Nothing in subdivision (d) is a limitation on the board
allocating racing weeks to any private racing association as a lessee
of the California Exposition and State Fair racetrack facility
pursuant to Sections 19531 and 19532.
   SEC. 2.    Section 19549 of the   Business
and Professions Code   is amended to read: 
   19549.  Except as provided in Section 19549.1, the maximum number
of racing  days   weeks  that may be
allocated to a fair shall be  14 days   four
weeks  each year.  Those racing days shall be days
during the period in which general fair activities are conducted.
However, any fair racing association that conducted racing in the
central or southern zone prior to January 1, 1980, shall be entitled
to be allocated up to three weeks of racing.  The board
shall take public testimony and make all determinations on the
allocation of racing dates during a public hearing. All discussions
of allocating racing dates by the board or its subcommittees shall be
conducted during a public hearing. Nothing in this section
diminishes the authority of the board to establish racing dates.
   SEC. 3.    Section 19549.1 of the   Business
and Professions Code   is amended to read: 
   19549.1.  Notwithstanding Sections 19533 and 19549 or any other
provision of this chapter, the board may allocate horse racing days
for mixed breed meetings and combined fair horse racing meetings
pursuant to Section 4058 of the Food and Agricultural Code, except as
follows:
   (a) Dates may only be allocated for a combined fair horse racing
meeting between  July 1   June 1  and
October 31  , and the total combined number of dates shall
not exceed the total combined dates of the combined fair racing
associations in 1995  .
   (b) Days may not be allocated for a mixed breed meeting or a
combined fair horse racing meeting during the month of June at the
California Exposition and State Fair if a standardbred meeting is
being conducted at that facility during the month of June.
   The mixed breed meetings shall be conducted by a person other than
the fair and shall be subject to Section 19550. The mixed breed
meetings shall encourage the racing of emerging breeds of horses.

  SECTION 1.    Section 19592 of the Business and
Professions Code is amended to read:
   19592.  The parimutuel system of wagering shall be operated only
by a totalizator, including electronic terminal wagering, or other
equipment approved by the board. The board shall not require any
particular make of equipment. The communications system, technology,
and method used to accept wagers and transmit odds, results, and
other data related to wagering shall be approved by the board.