Horse racing: Humboldt County Fair.

(1) Existing law provides for the operation of live horse racing by associations and fairs, and for wagering thereon, and for the operation of satellite wagering facilities, subject to regulation and oversight by the California Horse Racing Board, as specified. This bill would, during calendar periods when a thoroughbred association or fair in the northern zone and the Humboldt County Fair simultaneously conduct live race meetings, permit the Humboldt County Fair and a thoroughbred association in the southern zone when conducting a live race meeting to accept wagers on the result of not more than 8 out-of-state thoroughbred horse races in addition to those already authorized in law, if specified conditions are met. (2) Existing law provides that when the San Mateo County Fair, or any other fair or thoroughbred association, and the Humboldt County Fair simultaneously conduct race meetings in the northern zone, the San Mateo County Fair, or other fair or thoroughbred association, is authorized to distribute the signal and accept wagers on out-of-zone, out-of-state, and out-of-country races if it complies with specified conditions. Existing law requires, for the period in which both fairs are conducting race meetings, the San Mateo County Fair, or other fair or thoroughbred association, to distribute to the Humboldt County Fair, from and to the extent of license fees generated from the total handle, 0.75% of the out-of-zone, out-of-state, and out-of-country handle, and requires the San Mateo County Fair, or other fair or thoroughbred association, to distribute the remaining amount by retaining 50% and distributing it equally as commissions and purses with the other 50% being paid to the state as a license fee. Existing law provides similar provisions for the Fresno District Fair as are applied to the Humboldt County Fair.This bill would delete those provisions relating to the Fresno District Fair, and, with respect to the provisions relating to the distribution of the signal and acceptance of wagers, would delete the reference to the San Mateo County Fair, leaving those other provisions applicable if any other fair or thoroughbred association and the Humboldt County Fair simultaneously conduct race meetings. The bill, with respect to the provisions relating to the distribution to the Humboldt County Fair, would also delete the reference to the San Mateo County Fair, would require that the distribution to the Humboldt County Fair shall be from and to the extent of commissions and purses generated from the total handle, and would delete obsolete language pertaining to the distribution of excess license fees. (3) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.