Horse racing.

Existing law, effective January 1, 2011, requires an outrider to be licensed by the California Horse Racing Board pursuant to certain provisions of law relating to stewards and racing officials. This bill would delete the requirement that outriders be licensed under those provisions. Existing law requires certain persons who participate in, or have anything to do with, the racing of horses to be licensed by the board pursuant to rules and regulations that the board may adopt, and upon the payment of a license fee fixed and determined by the board. This bill would require the licensure of outriders pursuant to those provisions. By requiring outriders to be licensed, the violation of which would be a crime pursuant to other provisions of existing law, this bill would create new crimes and would thereby impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would authorize the board to adopt regulations to require outrider license applicants to pass both a written and an oral examination and to authorize outriders to exercise certain duties and powers of the board as are delegated by the board. Existing law generally authorizes the board to allocate race dates, as specified. This bill would provide that notwithstanding any other provision of law, commencing July 1, 2010, if a racetrack located in the central zone is not available for use by a thoroughbred association that was licensed by the board to conduct a live race meet at that racetrack in 2009, the board shall be authorized to allocate racing dates to that association to be operated at a racetrack in the central zone or the southern zone for racing in 2010, or thereafter, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the board. Existing law authorizes advance deposit wagering to be conducted, with the approval of the board. Existing law requires amounts distributed under certain provisions of law relating to advance deposit wagering to be proportionally reduced by an amount equal to 0.00295 multiplied by the amount handled on advance deposit wagers originating in California for each racing meeting, not to exceed $2,000,000. This bill would exempt from that calculation amounts handled on advance deposit wagers originating in California for harness racing meetings. Existing law requires the amount deducted, as per the above calculation, to be distributed as specified, with 50% of the money to the board to establish and to administer jointly with a certain jockey organization, a defined contribution retirement plan for California-licensed jockeys who retired from racing on or after January 1, 2009, and who, as of the date of retirement, had ridden in a minimum of 1,250 parimutuel races conducted in California. This bill would delete that requirement relating to a minimum number of races ridden. This bill would require amounts distributed under certain provisions of law relating to advance deposit wagering to be proportionally reduced by an amount equal to 0.00295 multiplied by the amount handled on advance deposit wagers originating in California for each harness racing meeting, not to exceed $500,000. The bill would require the amount deducted to be distributed to a certain welfare fund established for the benefit of horsemen and backstretch personnel, as provided, and the amount remaining, if any, for the benefit of the horsemen, as specified. By imposing new requirements on licensees under the Horse Racing Law, the violation of which would be a crime, this bill would create new crimes and would thereby impose a state-mandated local program. 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. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.