BILL NUMBER: SB 561 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
CHAPTER 380
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 27, 2008
APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 27, 2008
PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 19, 2008
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 12, 2008
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JULY 15, 2008
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 16, 2008
INTRODUCED BY Senator Margett
FEBRUARY 22, 2007
An act to amend Sections 19532, 19549, and 19549.1 of the Business
and Professions Code, relating to horse racing, making an
appropriation therefor, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take
effect immediately.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 561, Margett. Horse racing: 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 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 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.
This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as
an urgency statute.
Appropriation: yes.
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 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 weeks that may be allocated to a fair shall be four weeks
each year. 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 June 1 and October 31.
(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.
SEC. 4. 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:
Changes to the allocation of racing weeks in northern California
are needed due to the imminent closure of Bay Meadows Race Track on
September 1, 2008. It is necessary to expand the number of potential
racing weeks that can be allocated to fairs or private racing
associations in northern California because without the ability to
race those weeks previously utilized by Bay Meadows, thoroughbred
racing in the north would have to close down. That closure would
result in serious negative consequences for both the State of
California and the racing industry.