BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 897
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 4, 2011

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                  AB 897 (Hall) - As Introduced:  February 17, 2011 

          Policy Committee:                              Governmental 
          Organization Vote:                            15 - 0 

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  

          This bill authorizes the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) to 
          permit a California quarter horse racing association to accept 
          wagers on the full card of races conducted by other racing 
          associations on the date of the Texas Classic Futurity and 
          Remington Park Futurity.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Potential increase in revenue available to fund the CHRB and the 
          Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at the 
          University of California, Davis due to increased wagering 
          opportunities.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  . This bill will allow the quarter horse racing 
            association in California to import all of the races conducted 
            on the day of the Texas Classic Futurity and the Remington 
            Park Futurity irrespective of the eight-race day limit.  The 
            author intends for this bill to give the California quarter 
            horse racing industry a marketing tool to increase on-track 
            and off-track attendance on this specific day.  As a result of 
            the increased attendance, the author hopes this bill will 
            provide the industry with a mechanism to increase track 
            commissions, purses, and breeder's awards.

           2)Quarter horse racing  . Quarter horse racing in California is 
            held exclusively at Los Alamitos racetrack.  Unlike 
            thoroughbreds, which make up most  professional racing and 
            often race longer distances, quarter horses are bred to sprint 








                                                                  AB 897
                                                                  Page  2

            short distances ranging from 220 to 870 yards.  The Los 
            Alamitos meet operates all year long with the 2011 meet 
            running from January 1, 2011 until December 18, 2011.
                
            3)Related Legislation  . AB 2201 (Coto; Chapter 253, Statutes of 
            2010) authorized CHRB to permit a California harness racing 
            association to accept wagers on the full card of races 
            conducted by another racing association on the date of the 
            "Cane Pace."

            AB 3074 (Governmental Organization Committee; Chapter 510, 
            Statutes of 2008) allows a harness racing association in 
            California to import all of the races conducted on Kentucky 
            Futurity day.


           Analysis Prepared by :    Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916) 
          319-2081