BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �






                                                       Bill No:  SB 
          1579
          
                 SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
                       Senator Roderick D. Wright, Chair
                           2011-2012 Regular Session
                                 Staff Analysis

          SB 1579  Author:  Committee on Governmental Organization
          As Introduced:  March 20, 2012
          Hearing Date:  April 24, 2012
          Consultant:  Art Terzakis

                                     SUBJECT  
               Horse Racing: California Horse Racing Board (CHRB)

                                   DESCRIPTION
           
          SB 1579 makes technical, nonsubstantive changes to an 
          existing provision of California Horse Racing Law relating 
          to the general administration of race meetings by the CHRB. 


                                   EXISTING LAW

           Article IV, Section 19(b) of the Constitution of the State 
          of California provides that the Legislature may provide for 
          the regulation of horse races and horse race meetings and 
          wagering on the results.  Existing law grants the CHRB the 
          authority to regulate the various forms of horse racing 
          authorized in this state.  �B & P Code 19420, et al]

                                    BACKGROUND
           
           Purpose of SB 1579:   This measure is simply intended to be 
          the vehicle for various code maintenance and clean-up 
          changes that are necessary in existing Horse Racing Law.  
          Committee staff is working with CHRB staff to compile the 
          list of changes that will be added to this measure as it 
          moves through the legislative process.  

                               RELATED LEGISLATION
           
           SB 1523 (Strickland) 2011-12 Session.   Would divert monies 
          currently deposited in the Fund for Retired California Race 
          Horses for a new program to be established by the CHRB with 




          SB 1579 (Committee on Governmental Organization) continued  
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          a nonprofit and the Department of Corrections and 
          Rehabilitation for the rehabilitation and retraining of 
          retired California race horses.  (Pending in this 
          Committee) 
           
          SB 1227 (Negrete McLeod) 2011-12 Session.   Would modify a 
          provision of Horse Racing Law which currently provides for 
          a 1% deduction from wagers at fair racing meets for deposit 
          into the Fair and Exposition Fund (F&E Fund) for specified 
          purposes and instead diverts the distribution of the 1% 
          license fee equally between the fair that conducted the 
          racing meet (as commissions) and to the horsemen and 
          horsewomen who participated in the racing meet (as purses). 
          (Pending in Senate Appropriations Committee)
           SB 1418 (Berryhill) 2011-12 Session.   Among other things, 
          would delete the current calendar period restriction (only 
          between June 1 and October 31) during which the CHRB may 
          allocate combined fair horse racing meetings thus allowing 
          the CHRB greater flexibility in allocation of racing dates. 
           (Pending in Senate Appropriations Committee)
          
           SUPPORT:   None on File as of April 20, 2012.

           OPPOSE:   None on File as of April 20, 2012.

           FISCAL COMMITTEE:   No

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