Bill Text: CA AB3261 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

---

Bill Title: Horse racing: out-of-state thoroughbred races.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2024-09-22 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 439, Statutes of 2024. [AB3261 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB3261-Amended.html

---

Amended  IN  Assembly  April 24, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 3261

---

Introduced by Assembly Member Mike Fong

February 16, 2024

---

An act to amend Sections 19596.2 and 19596.4 Section 19596.2 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to horse racing.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 3261, as amended, Mike Fong. Horse racing: out-of-state thoroughbred races.

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. Existing law prohibits the total number of thoroughbred races imported by associations or fairs on a statewide basis under these provisions from exceeding 50 per day on days when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state, with the exception of prescribed races.

This bill would repeal the above-described prohibition and the exceptions to that prohibition. The bill would also make conforming changes. instead prohibit the total number of thoroughbred races imported by associations or fairs on a statewide basis under these provisions from exceeding 75 per day on days when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state, with the exception of prescribed races.

Existing law requires any thoroughbred association or fair accepting wagers on the above-described out-of-state races to conduct the wagering in accordance with certain conditions. Existing law prohibits a thoroughbred association or fair from accepting wagers on the above-described 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 Counties of Orange or Sacramento. County of Orange or the County of Sacramento.

This bill would repeal those provisions.

This bill would prohibit, when the total number of thoroughbred races imported by a thoroughbred association or fair on a statewide basis is between 51 and 75 races per day on days when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state, a thoroughbred association or fair from accepting wagers on the above-described out-of-state races commencing after 5:30 p.m., Pacific standard time, without the consent of the harness and quarter horse racing association that is then conducting a live racing meeting in the County of Orange or the County of Sacramento.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

---

Bill Text

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 75 per day on days when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state. The limitation of 50 75 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, 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) No Except as provided in subdivision (d), a thoroughbred association or fair may 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 Counties of Orange or County of Orange or the County of Sacramento.

(d) When the total number of thoroughbred races imported by associations or fairs on a statewide basis under this section is between 51 and 75 on a day when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state, a thoroughbred association or fair shall not accept wagers pursuant to this section on out-of-state races commencing after 5:30 p.m., Pacific standard time, without the consent of the harness and quarter horse racing association that is then conducting a live racing meeting in the County of Orange or the County of Sacramento.

SECTION 1.Section 19596.2 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

19596.2.

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.

SEC. 2.Section 19596.4 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

19596.4.

(a)Notwithstanding Section 19596.2, if the total number of thoroughbred and fair racing days allocated by the board in the northern zone in any calendar year commencing with the calendar year 2001 is less than the total number of thoroughbred and fair racing days allocated by the board in calendar year 2000, a thoroughbred racing association or fair that has been allocated fewer racing days in the northern zone may distribute the audiovisual signal and accept wagers on the results of out-of-state and out-of-country thoroughbred races during the calendar period the association or fair is licensed to conduct a live race meeting, excluding Saturdays and Sundays.

(b)The total number of out-of-state and out-of-country thoroughbred races upon which wagers may be accepted pursuant to this section shall be sufficient to the extent reasonably possible to prevent any loss of revenue to the General Fund and the California racing participants, as determined by the executive director of the board but shall not exceed a maximum of three out-of-state or out-of-country thoroughbred races for every live race that has been eliminated by the board. A thoroughbred racing association in the northern zone shall not import these races on a day when a fair is conducting live racing in the northern zone.