Florida Senate - 2015                                       SB 2
       
       
        
       By Senator Sobel
       
       
       
       
       
       33-00349B-15                                             20152__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to greyhound racing injuries;
    3         providing a short title; creating s. 550.2416, F.S.;
    4         requiring injuries to racing greyhounds to be reported
    5         on a form adopted by the Division of Pari-mutuel
    6         Wagering in the Department of Business and
    7         Professional Regulation within a certain timeframe;
    8         specifying the information that must be included in
    9         the form; requiring the division to maintain the forms
   10         as public records; specifying disciplinary action that
   11         may be taken against a licensee of the department who
   12         fails to report an injury or who makes false
   13         statements on an injury form; exempting injuries to
   14         certain animals from reporting requirements; requiring
   15         the division to adopt rules; providing an effective
   16         date.
   17          
   18  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   19  
   20         Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Victoria Q. Gaetz
   21  Racing Greyhound Protection Act.”
   22         Section 2. Section 550.2416, Florida Statutes, is created
   23  to read:
   24         550.2416 Reporting of racing greyhound injuries.—
   25         (1) An injury to a racing greyhound which occurs while the
   26  greyhound is located in this state must be reported on a form
   27  adopted by the division within 7 days after the date the injury
   28  occurred or is believed to have occurred.
   29         (2) The form shall be completed and signed under oath or
   30  affirmation under penalty of perjury by the:
   31         (a) Racetrack veterinarian, if the injury occurred at the
   32  racetrack facility; or
   33         (b) Owner, trainer, or kennel operator who had knowledge of
   34  the injury, if the injury occurred at a location other than the
   35  racetrack, including during transportation.
   36         (3) The form must include all of the following:
   37         (a) The greyhound’s registered name, right-ear and left-
   38  ear tattoo numbers, and, if any, the microchip manufacturer and
   39  number.
   40         (b) The name, business address, and telephone number of the
   41  greyhound owner, the trainer, and the kennel operator.
   42         (c) The color, weight, and sex of the greyhound.
   43         (d) The specific type and bodily location of the injury,
   44  the cause of the injury, and the estimated recovery time from
   45  the injury.
   46         (e) If the injury occurred while the greyhound was racing:
   47         1. The racetrack where the injury occurred;
   48         2. The distance, grade, race, and post position of the
   49  greyhound when the injury occurred; and
   50         3. The weather conditions, time, and track conditions when
   51  the injury occurred.
   52         (f)If the injury occurred when the greyhound was not
   53  racing:
   54         1. The location where the injury occurred; and
   55         2. The circumstances surrounding the injury.
   56         (g) Other information that the division determines is
   57  necessary to identify injuries to racing greyhounds in this
   58  state.
   59         (4) An injury form created pursuant to this section shall
   60  be maintained as a public record by the division for 7 years
   61  from the date it was received.
   62         (5)A licensee of the department who knowingly makes a
   63  false statement concerning an injury or fails to report an
   64  injury is subject to disciplinary action under this chapter or
   65  chapters 455 and 474.
   66         (6) This section does not apply to injuries to a service
   67  animal, personal pet, or greyhound that has been adopted as a
   68  pet.
   69         (7) The division shall adopt rules to implement this
   70  section.
   71         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.