HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2142        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 154

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Garrett J. Bradley

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to thoroughbred horse racing.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2142        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 154

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act relative to thoroughbred horse racing.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding section 2 of chapter 128A of the General Laws and sections 1, 2 and 2A of chapter 128C of the General Laws or any other general or special law, rule or regulation to the contrary, the running horse meeting licensee located in Suffolk county licensed to conduct live racing pursuant to said chapter 128A and simulcast wagering pursuant to said chapter 128C in calendar year 2014 shall remain licensed as a running horse racing meeting licensee until December 31, 2016 provided, that the days between January 1 and December 31 of each year shall be dark days pursuant to said chapter 128C; said licensee shall be precluded from conducting live racing during that period.

The running horse meeting placeholder licensee licensed to conduct live racing pursuant to said chapter 128A in calendar year 2015 shall remain licensed as a running horse racing meeting licensee until  December 31, 2016 provided, that the days between January 1 and December 31 of each year shall be live race  days or dark days pursuant to said chapter 128C; said licensee shall not be precluded from conducting live racing during that period; provided further, that said licensee shall not be required to conduct any live racing to remain authorized to conduct simulcast wagering pursuant to said chapter 128C.

The running horse meeting licensee located in Suffolk county licensed to conduct live racing pursuant to said chapter 128A and simulcast wagering pursuant to said chapter 128C in calendar year 2014 and the running horse meeting placeholder licensee licensed to conduct live racing pursuant to said chapter 128A in calendar year 2015 shall conduct simulcast wagering pursuant to chapter 128C; provided that all simulcasts shall comply with the Interstate Horse Racing  Act of 1978, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq. or other applicable federal law; provided further, that all simulcasts from states which have racing associations that do not require approval in compliance with the Interstate Horse Racing  Act of 1978, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 3004(a)(1)(A), shall require the approval of the New England Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association prior to being simulcast to a racing meeting licensee within the commonwealth; and  provided further, that if the association agrees to approve the simulcast for 1 racing meeting licensee, it shall  approve the simulcast for all otherwise eligible racing meeting licensees.

The running horse meeting licensee located in Suffolk county licensed to conduct live racing pursuant to said chapter 128A and simulcast wagering pursuant to said chapter 128C in calendar year 2014 and the greyhound dog racing meeting licensee located in Suffolk county and the greyhound dog racing meeting licensee located in Bristol county and the harness horse racing meeting licensee located in Norfolk county shall simulcast the racing cards of the running horse meeting placeholder licensee licensed to conduct live racing pursuant to said  chapter 128A in calendar year 2015 and 2016 and shall pay a fee of 11 per cent for the intrastate racing cards, and shall pay a 3 per cent premium with respect to any interstate running horse simulcasts received, over and above the costs of obtaining such simulcasts.

SECTION 2. Chapter 128A of the General Laws is hereby amended in Section 5(c)(3) in the third sentence by inserting after the words “payment of purses” the following “and administrative and horseracing operations with the approval of the appropriate horseman’s association representing the horse owners racing at that race track.”

SECTION 3. Chapter 128C of the General Laws is hereby amended in Section 4 in the third paragraph by inserting after the words “for purses” the following:- “administrative and and horse racing operations with the approval of the appropriate horseman’s association representing the horse owners racing at that race track”  And is hereby further amended in the fourth paragraph by inserting after the words “for purses” the following words:-  “and administrative and horse racing operations with the approval of the appropriate horseman’s association representing the horse owners racing at that race track”.

SECTION 4.  Chapter 194 of the Acts of 2011 is hereby amended by striking the words “provided, however, that no such payments shall be made after June 30, 2014” and replacing with the following:-  “provided, payments made after June 30, 2014 shall then be distributed to the New England Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association to support live thoroughbred racing in Massachusetts.” 

SECTION 5.  Section 1 is hereby repealed.

SECTION 6.  Section 5 shall take effect on January 1, 2017.