BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1575
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 13, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Kevin De Leon, Chair
AB 1575 (Committee on Governmental Organization) - As
Introduced: March 23, 2009
Policy Committee: Governmental
Organization Vote: 16 - 0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill adds outriders to the definition of horse racing
officials, thus requiring them to be licensed as racing
officials, and provides that oral examinations of horse racing
stewards shall be conducted by a panel of not less than three
members of the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), while oral
examinations of veterinarians shall be conducted by one member
of the CHRB, the equine medical director, and the executive
director of the CHRB.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)There are no significant costs for CHRB associated with
changing the make-up of the oral licensing examination panel
for veterinarians.
2)Increased licensing revenue for CHRB associated with adding
outriders to the definition of horse racing officials.
Licenses for those officials are $150 for a three year
license. Formerly the outriders' licensing costs were $75 for
a three year license.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . This bill is the Assembly Governmental Organization
Committee's omnibus horse racing bill. The language contained
in it was put forth by the CHRB. In its current version, the
bill makes two substantive changes to horseracing law. It
requires outriders to be licensed as horse racing stewards and
changes the composition of the panel conducting oral licensing
AB 1575
Page 2
examinations for veterinarians.
The G.O. committee states, however, that this bill is a
working document. As such, it will be further amended as it
makes its way through the Legislature but only if all parties
involved in the horse racing industry concur with the changes.
2)Outriders . Under current law, a person who works in the barn
area or on the racetrack must be licensed by the CHRB. A
racing official is generally described as a person who has
contact and/or interaction with the Board of Stewards on
racing matters. An outrider is a person who serves a role
similar to that of a lifeguard at a swimming pool. Their job
is to watch to make certain that all of the horses and riders
are following the rules of the racetrack, and they are also
there to help if something goes wrong. If a horse gets loose
without a rider, or if it runs off with the rider aboard, it
is the outrider who catches the horse and brings it back
safely. CHRB has determine that these individuals should be
treated as an official for purposes of licensure, since an
outrider maintains close contact and takes direction from the
stewards via a hand held radio each day.
Analysis Prepared by : Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916)
319-2081