FINAL BILL REPORT

                 ESHB 3045

                         C 223 L 00

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Clarifying the requirements for a class 1 racing license.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Commerce & Labor (originally sponsored by Representatives Wood and Clements).

House Committee on Commerce & Labor

Senate Committee on Commerce, Trade, Housing & Financial Institutions

Background:

A class 1 racing association is a racing association, licensed by the Horse Racing Commission, that conducts live racing for at least 40 days during a consecutive 4-month period in any 12-month period.  The commission may increase the number of live racing days required to maintain an association's class 1 racing status.

Only class 1 racing associations may simulcast out-of-state horse races to an in-state facility.  When a racing association is conducting a live race meet, it may simulcast  a limited number of out-of-state races on live race days and on two non-live race days each week.  When no live race meet is being conducted at a race track, the racing association may simulcast racing for up to 12 hours a day, five days a week.  A class 1 racing association  also may export the signal from its own live races to out-of-state locations.

A class 1 racing association generates revenue from parimutuel wagering on races conducted live at its own racing facility and from races run in other states and simulcasted to the live in-state race track facility.

Summary of Bill:

A class 1 racing association is a horse racing licensee approved to conduct live racing at least 40 days during a 12-month period.  The minimum 40-day requirement no longer must be consecutive days.

A racing association may simulcast races to the live track facility for up to 14 hours a day, five days a week during the non-race meet period when no live racing is being conducted.

If a live race is canceled due to acts of God, labor disruptions not involving the licensee or its employees, or other circumstances beyond the control of the class 1 racing association, the canceled day counts toward the 40-day requirement for class 1 racing association status.

Votes on Final Passage:

House950

Senate372

Effective: