Horse racing: satellite wagering: out-of-country thoroughbred races.

Existing law authorizes a thoroughbred racing association or fair to distribute the audiovisual signal and accept wagers on the results of out-of-country thoroughbred races during the calendar period the association or fair is conducting a race meeting, without the consent of the participating horsemen's organization. These imported races are subject to specified conditions, including the condition that the total number of out-of-country thoroughbred races on which wagers are allowed to be accepted statewide in any given year does not exceed the total number of out-of-country thoroughbred races on which wagers were accepted in 1998. This bill would delete that condition that limits the total number of out-of-country thoroughbred races on which wagers are allowed to be accepted statewide in any given year. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.