BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 1575|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 1575
Author: Assembly Governmental Organization Committee
Amended: 8/31/09 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORG. COMMITTEE : 11-0, 7/8/09
AYES: Wright, Harman, Benoit, Calderon, Denham, Florez,
Negrete McLeod, Padilla, Price, Wyland, Yee
NO VOTE RECORDED: Oropeza, Wiggins
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 72-2, 5/26/09 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Horse racing officials: stewards, outriders,
and official
veterinarians
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill makes various technical, clarifying,
and conforming changes to the Business and Professions Code
in order to update and condense current provisions of the
Horse Racing Law.
Senate Floor Amendments of 8/31/09 clean-up Horse Racing
Law in relation to SB 16XX (Ashburn), Chapter 12, Statutes
of 2009-10, Second Extraordinary Session. SB 16XX modified
the manner in which fairs are funded and this clean-up bill
ensures that the fairs remain whole as it relates to past
CONTINUED
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commissions received. In addition, it provides the
industry with greater flexibility to pay for operating
expenses of satellite wagering facilities in the northern
zone, as specified.
ANALYSIS : Existing law provides that the California
Horse Racing Board (CHRB) regulate the various forms of
horse racing authorized in this state.
Existing law provides, under the Horse Racing Law, for the
operation of live horse racing in this state and for
wagering, thereon, and for the operation of satellite
wagering faculties, subject to regulation and oversight by
the CHRB, as specified.
Existing law defines "racing official" as the starter,
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.
Existing law provides that every steward and official
veterinarian shall be licensed by CHRB and subject to both
written and oral examinations, as specified. Provides that
all examinations shall be standardized and, in the case of
oral examinations, tape recorded. Requires oral
examinations to be conducted by a panel of not less than
three members of the CHRB. Authorizes written examinations
to be administered by staff members of the CHRB.
Existing law provides that no person that is required to be
licensed may participate in any capacity in any horse race
meeting without a valid and unrevoked license. In general,
persons who participate in a horse race without proper
licensure are guilty of a misdemeanor.
This bill:
1.Includes outriders in the definition of "racing
official."
2.Provides that oral examinations for stewards shall be
conducted by a panel of not less than three members of
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the CHRB.
3.Requires oral examinations for official veterinarians to
be conducted by a panel of not less than one member of
CHRS, the equine medical director, and the executive
director of the CHRB.
4.Revises the manner in which supplemental purses are
distributed and received by racing fairs in the County of
Los Angeles (Los Angeles County Fair) from wagering on
thoroughbred horse racing conducted at the 22nd District
Agricultural Association (Del Mar). The existing
supplemental purse distribution, specified under current
law will now be paid directly to the Los Angeles County
Fair not appropriated by the Department of Food and
Agriculture.
5.Modifies the stated policy purpose of the SBX2 16 by
stating that from all revenues transferred and deposited
in the Fairs and Exposition Fund, an amount up to one
million one hundred thousand dollars may be allocated by
the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to supplement
purses at fairs who conduct a live horse race meet as
mandated under current law.
6.Allows a northern thoroughbred association, subject to
the approval of the CHRB to increase the amount set aside
under current law for simulcast operating expenses from
two and one-half percent to up to four percent under
specified conditions.
Comments
This bill makes numerous technical, clarifying, and
conforming changes in order to update and condense where
possible, current horse racing statutes found in the
Business and Professions code (Section 19400 et seq.). The
bill also takes into consideration current practices and
procedures of the CHRB to ensure protection of the wagering
public uniformity of regulation for each type of horse
racing conducted in California.
The language contained in this bill was put forth by the
CHRB.
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FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: Yes Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: Yes
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,
Emmerson, Eng, Evans, Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes,
Fuller, Furutani, Galgiani, Hagman, Hall, Harkey,
Hayashi, Hernandez, Hill, Huber, Huffman, Jeffries,
Jones, Krekorian, Lieu, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma,
Mendoza, Miller, Monning, Nava, Nestande, Niello, John A.
Perez, V. Manuel Perez, Portantino, Price, Ruskin, Salas,
Saldana, Silva, Skinner, Smyth, Solorio, Audra
Strickland, Swanson, Torlakson, Torres, Torrico, Tran,
Villines, Yamada
NOES: Gilmore, Nielsen
NO VOTE RECORDED: DeVore, Duvall, Gaines, Garrick, Knight,
Bass
TSM:cm 9/1/09 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: NONE RECEIVED
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