Enrolled  August 29, 2024
Passed  IN  Senate  August 26, 2024
Passed  IN  Assembly  August 27, 2024
Amended  IN  Senate  May 20, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1946

Introduced by Assembly Member Alanis

January 29, 2024

An act to amend Section 19596.2 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to horse racing.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1946, Alanis. Horse racing: out-of-state thoroughbred races: Whitney Stakes.
The Horse Racing Law authorizes a thoroughbred racing association or fair to distribute the audiovisual signal and accept wagers on the results of out-of-state thoroughbred races conducted in the United States during the calendar period the association or fair is conducting a race meeting, including days on which there is no live racing being conducted by the association or fair, without the consent of the organization that represents horsemen and horsewomen participating in the race meeting and without regard to the amount of purses. Under that law, the total number of thoroughbred races imported by associations or fairs on a statewide basis under these provisions are required to not exceed 50 per day on days when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state, with the exception of specified races.
This bill would exempt from the 50 imported race per day limitation, races imported that are part of the race card of the Whitney Stakes.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 19596.2 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

19596.2.
 (a) Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided in Section 19596.4, a thoroughbred racing association or fair may distribute the audiovisual signal and accept wagers on the results of out-of-state thoroughbred races conducted in the United States during the calendar period the association or fair is conducting a race meeting, including days on which there is no live racing being conducted by the association or fair, without the consent of the organization that represents horsemen and horsewomen participating in the race meeting and without regard to the amount of purses. Further, the total number of thoroughbred races imported by associations or fairs on a statewide basis under this section shall not exceed 50 per day on days when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state. The limitation of 50 imported races per day does not apply to any of the following:
(1) Races imported for wagering purposes pursuant to subdivision (c).
(2) Races imported that are part of the race card of the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Oaks, the Preakness Stakes, the Belmont Stakes, the Jockey Club Gold Cup, the Travers Stakes, the Arlington Million, the Breeders’ Cup, the Dubai World Cup, the Arkansas Derby, the Apple Blossom Handicap, the Blue Grass Stakes, the Whitney Stakes, or the Haskell Invitational.
(3) Races imported into the northern zone when there is no live thoroughbred or fair racing being conducted in the northern zone.
(4) Races imported into the combined central and southern zones when there is no live thoroughbred or fair racing being conducted in the combined central and southern zones.
(b) Any thoroughbred association or fair accepting wagers pursuant to subdivision (a) shall conduct the wagering in accordance with the applicable provisions of Sections 19601, 19616, 19616.1, and 19616.2.
(c) A thoroughbred association or fair shall not accept wagers pursuant to this section on out-of-state races commencing after 7 p.m., Pacific standard time, without the consent of the harness or quarter horse racing association that is then conducting a live racing meeting in the County of Orange or the County of Sacramento.