Horse racing: thoroughbred racing.

Existing law, the Horse Racing Law, authorizes the California Horse Racing Board to make allocations of racing weeks, as it deems appropriate, and, for thoroughbred racing, establishes a maximum of 44 weeks per year of racing weeks in the northern zone, a maximum of 42 weeks per year in the central zone, and a maximum of 7 weeks per year in the southern zone. Existing law also prohibits the board from allocating dates to a thoroughbred association in the central zone for conducting racing during daytime hours, if in the southern zone, a thoroughbred racing association is conducting racing on the same date during daytime hours. A violation of the Horse Racing Law is a crime. This bill would, instead of separate allocations to the central and southern zones, establish a maximum of 49 racing weeks per year in the combined central and southern zones. The bill would also require the board to allocate from those weeks a minimum number of weeks to certain racetracks in the central and southern zones that were used to conduct thoroughbred race meetings prior to 2012 and would authorize the board to allocate from those weeks a maximum number of weeks to certain racetracks in the southern zone that were not used to conduct thoroughbred race meetings in the southern zone prior to 2012. The bill would prohibit the board from allocating dates to a thoroughbred association in the southern zone for the purpose of conducting racing, regardless of the hours, if, on the same date and during daytime hours, a thoroughbred racing association is conducting racing in the central zone, and would reciprocally prohibit the allocation of racing dates to a thoroughbred association in the central zone when daytime racing is conducted by a thoroughbred association in the southern zone. Because a violation of those provisions would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law provides that, except as specified, if a venue licensed to conduct thoroughbred racing in the central zone in 2008 is not available for racing in 2009 or thereafter, the dates formerly allocated to that venue shall be available for allocation by the board, and further provides that, if a racetrack located in the central zone is not available for use by a thoroughbred association that was licensed to conduct a live race meet at that racetrack in 2009, the board is authorized to allocate racing dates to that association to be operated at a racetrack in the central zone or southern zone for racing in 2010 or thereafter. This bill would repeal those provisions. Existing law, operative until January 1, 2014, authorizes thoroughbred racing associations, fairs, and the organization responsible for contracting with thoroughbred racing associations and fairs with respect to the conduct of racing meetings, to form a private, statewide marketing organization to market and promote thoroughbred and fair horse racing. If a marketing organization is formed, existing law requires an amount not to exceed 0.25% of the total amount handled by each satellite wagering facility to be distributed to the marketing organization, and imposes certain requirements on the marketing organization, including that the marketing organization annually submit certain information to the board. Violations of the Horse Racing Law are generally misdemeanors. This bill would extend the operation of those provisions to January 1, 2015. By extending those provisions of the Horse Racing Law, a violation of which is a crime, the bill would create new crimes and would thereby impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would make conforming changes to specified provisions in order to update cross-references. 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.