Florida Senate - 2023 (PROPOSED BILL) SPB 7044
FOR CONSIDERATION By the Committee on Regulated Industries
580-02550-23 20237044pb
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to changes in ownership of or interest
3 in pari-mutuel permits; amending s. 550.054, F.S.;
4 revising entities authorized to hold pari-mutuel
5 wagering permits and associated licenses; amending s.
6 849.086, F.S.; specifying such entities may hold a
7 license for the operation of a cardroom; providing an
8 effective date.
9
10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
11
12 Section 1. Subsection (15) of section 550.054, Florida
13 Statutes, is amended to read:
14 550.054 Application for permit to conduct pari-mutuel
15 wagering.—
16 (15)(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a
17 permit for the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering and associated
18 cardroom or slot machine licenses may only be held by a
19 permitholder who held an operating license for the conduct of
20 pari-mutuel wagering for fiscal year 2020-2021 or who holds a
21 permit issued pursuant to s. 550.3345 or by a purchaser,
22 transferee, or assignee of a valid permit for the conduct of
23 pari-mutuel wagering if approved by the commission before such
24 purchase, transfer, or assignment and provided that the
25 commission does not approve or issue an additional permit for
26 the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering;
27 (b) All permits issued under this chapter held by
28 permitholders on January 1, 2021, are deemed valid for the sole
29 and exclusive purpose of satisfying all conditions for the valid
30 issuance of the permits, if such permitholder held an operating
31 license for the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering for fiscal year
32 2020-2021 or if such permitholder held a permit issued pursuant
33 to s. 550.3345;
34 (c) Additional permits for the conduct of pari-mutuel
35 wagering may not be approved or issued by the commission or
36 former Division of Pari-mutuel Wagering after January 1, 2021;
37 and
38 (d) A permit to conduct pari-mutuel wagering may not be
39 converted to another class of permit.
40 Section 2. Paragraph (c) of subsection (5) of section
41 849.086, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
42 849.086 Cardrooms authorized.—
43 (5) LICENSE REQUIRED; APPLICATION; FEES.—No person may
44 operate a cardroom in this state unless such person holds a
45 valid cardroom license issued pursuant to this section.
46 (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a pari
47 mutuel permitholder, other than a permitholder issued a permit
48 pursuant to s. 550.3345 or a purchaser, transferee, or assignee
49 holding a valid permit for the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering
50 approved pursuant to s. 550.054(15)(a), may not be issued a
51 license for the operation of a cardroom if the permitholder did
52 not hold an operating license for the conduct of pari-mutuel
53 wagering for fiscal year 2020-2021. In order for an initial
54 cardroom license to be issued to a thoroughbred permitholder
55 issued a permit pursuant to s. 550.3345, the applicant must have
56 requested, as part of its pari-mutuel annual license
57 application, to conduct at least a full schedule of live racing.
58 In order for a cardroom license to be renewed by a thoroughbred
59 permitholder, the applicant must have requested, as part of its
60 pari-mutuel annual license application, to conduct at least 90
61 percent of the total number of live performances conducted by
62 such permitholder during either the state fiscal year in which
63 its initial cardroom license was issued or the state fiscal year
64 immediately prior thereto if the permitholder ran at least a
65 full schedule of live racing or games in the prior year.
66 Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.