FILED ON: 7/5/2016

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4459

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 simulcasting and racing days.

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to further regulate simulcasting, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.
 

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.  The first paragraph of section 12A of chapter 494 of the acts of 1978 is hereby amended by striking out the words “and until July 31, 2016”, inserted by section 1 of chapter 264 of the acts of 2014, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- and until July 31, 2017.

     SECTION 2.  The last paragraph of said section 12A of said chapter 494 is hereby amended by striking out the words “July 31, 2016”, inserted by section 2 of said chapter 264, and inserting in place thereof the following words:-  July 31, 2017.

     SECTION 3.  The introductory paragraph of section 13 of said chapter 494 is hereby amended by striking out the words “and until July 31, 2016”, inserted by section 3 of said chapter 264, and inserting in place thereof the following words:-  and until July 31, 2017.

    SECTION 4.  Section 15 of said chapter 494 is hereby amended by striking out the words “and until July 31, 2016”, inserted by section 4 of said chapter 264, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- and until July 31, 2017.

    SECTION 5.  The first paragraph of section 9 of chapter 277 of the acts of 1986 is hereby amended by striking out the words “and until July 31, 2016”, inserted by section 5 of said chapter 264, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- and until July 31, 2017.

    SECTION 6.  The first sentence of the first paragraph of section 3 of chapter 114 of the acts of 1991 is hereby amended by striking out the words “and until July 31, 2016”, inserted by section 6 of said chapter 264, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- and until July 31, 2017.

     SECTION 7.  The last paragraph of said section 3 of said chapter 114 is hereby amended by striking out the words “July 31, 2016”, inserted by section 7 of said chapter 264, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- July 31, 2017. 

SECTION 8.  The first paragraph of section 4 of said chapter 114 is hereby amended by striking out the words “and until July 31, 2016”, inserted by section 8 of said chapter 264, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- and until July 31, 2017.

     SECTION9 .  The last paragraph of said section 4 of said chapter 114 is hereby amended by striking out the words “July 31, 2016”, inserted by section 9 of said chapter 264, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- July 31, 2017.

    SECTION 10.  The first paragraph of section 5 of said chapter 114 is hereby amended by striking out the words “and until July 31, 2016”, inserted by section 10 of said chapter 264, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- and until July 31, 2017.

    SECTION 11.  Section 45 of chapter 139 of the acts of 2001 is hereby amended by striking out the words “July 31, 2016”, inserted by section 11 of said chapter 264, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- July 31, 2017.

     SECTION 12.  Section 20 of chapter 449 of the acts of 2006 is hereby amended by striking out the words “July 31, 2016”, inserted by section 12 of said chapter 264, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- July 31, 2017.

SECTION 13.  Notwithstanding section 2 of chapter 128A of the General Laws and sections 1, 2, 2A and 4 of chapter 128C of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, the running race 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 July 31, 2017, and shall remain authorized to conduct simulcast wagering pursuant to said chapter 128C for the entirety of any year in which at least 1 day and not more than 50 days of live running horse racing is conducted at the licensee’s facility; provided, however, that the days between January 1 and December 31 of each year shall be dark days pursuant to said chapter 128C and the licensee shall be precluded from conducting live racing during that period, unless it applies for and is granted a supplemental live racing license pursuant to said chapter 128A; provided further, 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), except simulcasts during the month of August, 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.