BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 605|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 605
Author: Portantino (D)
Amended: As introduced
Vote: 27
SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORG. COMMITTEE : 10-0, 7/8/09
AYES: Wright, Harman, Benoit, Calderon, Denham, Florez,
Negrete McLeod, Padilla, Price, Yee
NO VOTE RECORDED: Oropeza, Wiggins, Wyland
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 76-1, 5/21/09 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Horse racing: proposition parimutuel pool
wagers
SOURCE : Golden Gate Fields
Santa Anita Park
DIGEST : This bill allows thoroughbred horse racing
results to be included in proposition parimutuel pool
wagers.
ANALYSIS : Existing law provides that the California
Horse Racing Board (CHRB) regulate the various forms of
horse racing authorized in this state.
Existing law requires various deductions and distributions
to be made from parimutuel pools, as specified.
CONTINUED
AB 605
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Existing law defines "conventional parimutuel pool" as the
total wagers on any horse or horses in a particular race to
win, place, or show.
Existing law defines "exotic pari-mutuel pool" as the total
wagers on the finishing position of two or more horses in a
particular race, such as a quinella or exacta wager, or on
horses to win two or more races, such as a daily double,
pick six wagers, or on other wagers approved by CHRB.
Existing law defines a "proposition parimutuel pool" as the
total wagers under the parimutuel system on propositions
approved by CHRB that are based on the results of a live
quarter horse or harness horse race or races.
Existing law permits CHRB, upon the request of the
association or fair accepting the wager, and the
organization of participating horsemen, to set the
percentage deducted from the parimutuel pool for any new
wager introduced after January 1, 2004, as specified.
Comments
According to the author, this bill will allow an
association which conducts thoroughbred racing to offer
"propositional wagering" on thoroughbred races. For
instance, this simplified form of betting would allow an
individual to choose between odd or even bets, "will" or
"will not" wagers, head-to-head horse or "match" wagers, on
any conventional, exotic or other wager. Currently, the
law authorizes quarter horse and harness racing
associations to offer this type of wagering while operating
a live race meet in California on the respective breeds,
subject to CHRB approval.
This bill allows all segments of the industry to take
advantage of this type of wager, and in the process, create
the potential for new revenue for California's horse racing
industry as well as new fans for the sport.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: Yes Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
AB 605
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SUPPORT : (Verified 8/18/09)
Golden Gate Fields (co-source)
Santa Anita Park (co-source)
Magna Entertainment Corporation
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : Supporters indicate that
propositional wagers are useful as a marketing tool to
increase public awareness of special events, such as the
Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, the Belmont Stakes
and the Breeders' Cup.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR :
AYES: Adams, Ammiano, Anderson, Arambula, Beall, Bill
Berryhill, Tom Berryhill, Blakeslee, Block, Blumenfield,
Brownley, Buchanan, Caballero, Charles Calderon, Carter,
Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Coto, Davis, De La Torre, De Leon,
DeVore, Duvall, Emmerson, Eng, Evans, Feuer, Fletcher,
Fong, Fuentes, Fuller, Furutani, Gaines, Galgiani,
Garrick, Gilmore, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi,
Hernandez, Hill, Huber, Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Knight,
Krekorian, Lieu, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza,
Miller, Monning, Nestande, Niello, Nielsen, John A.
Perez, V. Manuel Perez, Portantino, Price, Salas, Silva,
Skinner, Smyth, Solorio, Audra Strickland, Swanson,
Torlakson, Torres, Torrico, Tran, Villines, Bass
NOES: Ruskin
NO VOTE RECORDED: Nava, Saldana, Yamada
TSM:mw 8/18/09 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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