AB 558: Horse racing: nonthoroughbred races.

(1)The Horse Racing Law generally requires that any license granted to an association other than a fair is only for one type of racing, thoroughbred, harness, or quarter horse racing, as the case may be, except that the California Horse Racing Board may authorize the entering of thoroughbred and Appaloosa horses in quarter horse races at a distance not exceeding 5 furlongs at quarter horse meetings, mixed breed meetings, and fair meetings under specified conditions. That law, notwithstanding these provisions, empowers the board to authorize mixed breed racing that sanctions, among other things, either an association to conduct a quarter horse meeting to include Appaloosa races and Arabian races with the consent of the quarter horse horsemens organization or a race between a quarter horse and a thoroughbred horse at a thoroughbred meeting with the consent of the thoroughbred horsemens organization, if each contracts with the association with respect to the conduct of the racing meeting.

This bill would empower the board to authorize an association licensed to conduct a thoroughbred race meeting to include up to 6 nonthoroughbred races per calendar year with the consent of the organization representing thoroughbred horsemen and horsewomen, provided, however, that a nonthoroughbred race shall not be held when a fair in the northern zone is conducting a race meeting without that fairs consent. Amounts deducted and distributed pursuant to the Horse Racing Law from wagering on nonthoroughbred races authorized pursuant to these provisions would be required to be deducted and distributed as if the wagers were placed on a thoroughbred race. By expanding the provisions of the Horse Racing Law, a violation of which is a crime, the bill would create new crimes and would thereby impose a state-mandated local program.

(2)The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

(3)This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.