Horse racing law intent: backstretch personnel housing: jockey riding fees.

(1) Existing law provides that the intent of the Horse Racing Law is to allow parimutuel wagering on horse races while, among other things, supporting the network of California fairs. This bill would delete supporting the network of California fairs from that statement of intent. (2) Existing law provides that the California Horse Racing Board shall adopt emergency regulations to establish standards governing the employee housing provided to backstretch personnel at licensed racetracks, as specified. No license shall be issued to a racing association to conduct a horse race meeting unless the board has inspected the housing conditions that exist on the racetrack's backstretch and determined the living conditions to be in compliance with the standards established by the board. This bill would delete any reference to the emergency regulations in these provisions, for which compliance was mandated by January 1, 2004, rendering the language obsolete. (3) Existing law provides various findings of the Legislature in regards to professional jockey fees, including that the riding fee should be increased at least as much on a percentage basis as the state minimum wage, so that the average full-time jockey can earn an income sufficient to provide for the basic necessities of life. Existing law provides that minimum jockey riding fees for losing mounts and minimum amounts awarded to 2nd and 3rd place finishers be increased by a specified amount as of January 1, 2008, and by additional amounts on later dates, as specified. This bill would delete obsolete language from those provisions.