AB 3261: 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 races 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 instead prohibit the total number of thoroughbred races imported by associations or fairs on a statewide basis under these provisions from exceeding 75 races 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 County of Orange or the County of Sacramento.

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 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.

This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 19596.2 of the Business and Professions Code proposed by Assembly Bill 1768 and Assembly Bill 1946, to be operative only if this bill and either or both of those bills are enacted and this bill is enacted last.