BILL NUMBER: AB 1575	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Committee on Governmental Organization (Price
(Chair), Coto, Evans, Galgiani, Hall, Hill, Lieu, Mendoza,
Portantino, Torres, and Torrico)

                        MARCH 23, 2009

   An act to amend Sections 19510 and 19513 of the Business and
Professions Code, relating to horse racing, and making an
appropriation therefor.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1575, as introduced, Committee on Governmental Organization.
Horse racing officials: stewards, outriders, and official
veterinarians.
   (1) Existing law, the Horse Racing Law, provides for the operation
of live horse racing in this state and for wagering thereon, and for
the operation of satellite wagering facilities, subject to
regulation and oversight by the California Horse Racing Board, as
specified. Existing law provides that every steward and racing
official shall be licensed and subject to both written and oral
examinations, as specified. "Racing official" is defined to include
official veterinarians. In general, persons who participate in a
horse race without proper licensure are guilty of a misdemeanor.
   This bill would include outriders in the definition of racing
officials thus requiring them to be licensed and examined, as
specified. The bill would also provide that oral examinations for
stewards shall be conducted by a panel of not less than 3 members of
the board, while oral examinations for official veterinarians shall
be conducted by a panel of not less than one member of the board, the
equine medical director, and the executive director of the board. By
expanding the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a
state-mandated local program.
   (2) Under existing law, revenues distributed to the state as
license fees from horse racing are required to be deposited in the
Fair and Exposition Fund and are continuously appropriated to the
Department of Food and Agriculture for various regulatory and general
governmental purposes.
   Because this bill would revise the amount of money deposited into,
and distributed from, that fund, it would make an appropriation.
   (3) 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.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 19510 of the Business and Professions Code is
amended to read:
   19510.  (a) Every steward and racing official not required to be
licensed under Article 4 (commencing with Section 19480) shall be
licensed by the board pursuant to this article. Any license issued
pursuant to this article shall include a current photograph of the
licensed person.
   (b) No person required to be licensed pursuant to this article may
participate in any capacity in any horse race meeting without a
valid and unrevoked license. The board shall determine the fixed
license fee which shall be paid in order to receive a license
pursuant to this article.
   (c) As used in this section, "racing official" means the starter,
 outrider,    timer, paddock judge, horseshoe
inspector, horse identifier, official veterinarian, racing
veterinarian, associate judge, placing judge, patrol judge, clerk of
scales, clerk of the course, and any other person acting as an
official at any horse racing meeting.
  SEC. 2.  Section 19513 of the Business and Professions Code is
amended to read:
   19513.  (a) The board shall prepare both written and oral
examinations. All examinations shall be standardized and, in the case
of oral examinations, tape recorded. Written examinations may be
administered by members of the board staff. Oral examinations 
for stewards  shall be conducted by a panel of not less than
three board members.  Oral examinations for official
veterinarians shall be conducted by a panel of not less than one
board member, the equine medical director, and the executive
director. 
   (b) The board shall provide a detailed outline of the subjects to
be covered by the oral and written examinations for a license to
every person who requests the outline.
   (c) The results of the oral and written examinations for stewards
licenses shall be a public record.
  SEC. 3.  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.