House Bill 3723

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1998                HB 3723

        By Representative Bainter






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to pari-mutuel wagering;

  3         amending s. 550.01215, F.S.; revising language

  4         with respect to periods of operation for

  5         certain permitholders; amending s. 550.0951,

  6         F.S.; providing that no admission tax shall be

  7         imposed on any free passes or complimentary

  8         cards for admission to pari-mutuel events;

  9         revising the tax on handle for thoroughbred

10         racing; amending s. 550.5251, F.S.; revising

11         the hours of operation for thoroughbred racing

12         permitholders; amending s. 550.6305, F.S.;

13         revising language with respect to intertrack

14         wagering and guest track payments; providing a

15         procedure when required payments are not made;

16         providing recovery for the nondefaulting party;

17         amending s. 550.2625, F.S.; revising language

18         with respect to the purse requirements for

19         certain horseracing events; reenacting s.

20         550.2625(2)(e), F.S., relating to the sum of

21         purse accounts used for Florida Owners' Awards;

22         repealing s. 550.09515, F.S., relating to

23         thoroughbred horse taxes and abandoned interest

24         in permit for nonpayment of taxes; repealing s.

25         550.2425, F.S., relating to a racing laboratory

26         at horse racetrack facilities; repealing s.

27         550.615(11), F.S., relating to certain

28         thoroughbred permitholders who conduct

29         intertrack wagering; repealing s. 550.655,

30         F.S., relating to backside medical and health

31         benefits; amending ss. 550.26352, 550.334, and

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  1         550.3551, F.S.; conforming cross references to

  2         the act; providing an effective date.

  3

  4  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

  5

  6         Section 1.  Subsections (1) and (5) of section

  7  550.01215, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

  8         550.01215  License application; periods of operation;

  9  bond, conversion of permit.--

10         (1)  Each permitholder shall annually, during the

11  period between December 15 and January 4, file in writing with

12  the division its application for a license to conduct

13  performances during the next state fiscal year.  Each

14  application shall specify the number, dates, and starting

15  times of all performances which the permitholder intends to

16  conduct.  It shall also specify which performances will be

17  conducted as charity or scholarship performances. In addition,

18  each application for a license shall include, for each

19  permitholder which elects to operate a cardroom, the dates and

20  periods of operation the permitholder intends to operate the

21  cardroom or, for each thoroughbred permitholder which elects

22  to receive or rebroadcast out-of-state races after 7 p.m.

23  between the hours of 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., the dates for all

24  performances which the permitholder intends to conduct.

25  Permitholders shall be entitled to amend their applications

26  through February 28.

27         (5)  Except as provided in s. 550.5251 for thoroughbred

28  racing, the division shall issue each license no later than

29  March 15. Each permitholder shall operate all performances at

30  the date and time specified on its license.  The division

31  shall have the authority to approve minor changes in racing

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  1  dates after a license has been issued.  The division may

  2  approve changes in racing dates after a license has been

  3  issued when there is no objection from any operating

  4  permitholder located within 50 miles of the permitholder

  5  requesting the changes in operating dates.  In the event of an

  6  objection, the division shall approve or disapprove the change

  7  in operating dates based upon the impact on operating

  8  permitholders located within 50 miles of the permitholder

  9  requesting the change in operating dates. In making the

10  determination to change racing dates, the division shall take

11  into consideration the impact of such changes on state

12  revenues.

13         Section 2.  Subsections (2) and (3) of section

14  550.0951, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

15         550.0951  Payment of daily license fee and taxes.--

16         (2)  ADMISSION TAX.--

17         (a)  An admission tax equal to 15 percent of the

18  admission charge for entrance to the permitholder's facility

19  and grandstand area, or 10 cents, whichever is greater, is

20  imposed on each person attending a horserace, dograce, or jai

21  alai game.  The permitholder shall be responsible for

22  collecting the admission tax.

23         (b)  No admission tax under this chapter or chapter 212

24  shall be imposed on any free passes or complimentary cards

25  issued to persons for which there is no cost to the person for

26  admission to pari-mutuel events. An admission tax is imposed

27  on any free passes or complimentary cards issued to guests by

28  permitholders in an amount equal to the tax imposed on the

29  regular and usual admission charge for entrance to the

30  permitholder's facility and grandstand area.

31

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  1         (c)  A permitholder may issue tax-free passes to its

  2  officers, officials, and employees or other persons actually

  3  engaged in working at the racetrack, including accredited

  4  press representatives such as reporters and editors, and may

  5  also issue tax-free passes to other permitholders for the use

  6  of their officers and officials.  The permitholder shall file

  7  with the division a list of all persons to whom tax-free

  8  passes are issued under this paragraph.

  9         (3)  TAX ON HANDLE.--Each permitholder shall pay a tax

10  on contributions to pari-mutuel pools, the aggregate of which

11  is hereinafter referred to as "handle," on races or games

12  conducted by the permitholder. The tax is imposed daily and is

13  based on the total contributions to all pari-mutuel pools

14  conducted during the daily performance.  If a permitholder

15  conducts more than one performance daily, the tax is imposed

16  on each performance separately.

17         (a)  The tax on handle for thoroughbred horse racing,

18  harness horse racing, and quarter horse racing is 3.3 percent

19  of the handle.

20         (b)  The tax on handle for dogracing is 7.6 percent of

21  the handle and for jai alai is 7.1 percent of the handle.

22         (c)1.  The tax on handle for intertrack wagering is 3.3

23  percent of the handle if the host track is a horse track, 7.6

24  percent if the host track is a dog track, and 7.1 percent if

25  the host track is a jai alai fronton.  The tax on handle for

26  intertrack wagering on rebroadcasts of simulcast horseraces is

27  2.4 percent of the handle. The tax on handle for thoroughbred

28  racing for all wagers placed at the thoroughbred track

29  facility is 2.25 percent of the handle if racing is conducted

30  between January 3 and March 16 of each year; and 0.7 percent

31  of the handle if racing is conducted between March 17 and May

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  1  22 of each year; and 1.5 percent of the handle if racing is

  2  conducted between May 23 and January 2 of each year.  However,

  3  any thoroughbred permitholder whose total handle on live

  4  performances during the 1991-1992 state fiscal year was not

  5  greater than $34 million is authorized to conduct live

  6  performances at any time of the year and shall pay 0.5 percent

  7  on live handle per performance.  The tax on handle for

  8  intertrack wagering on rebroadcasts of simulcast horseraces is

  9  2.4 percent of the handle. The tax shall be deposited into the

10  General Revenue Fund.

11         2.  Effective October 1, 1996, the tax on handle for

12  intertrack wagers accepted by any dog track located in an area

13  of the state in which there are only three permitholders, all

14  of which are greyhound permitholders, located in three

15  contiguous counties, from any greyhound permitholder also

16  located within such area or any dog track or jai alai fronton

17  located as specified in s. 550.615(6) or (8), on races or

18  games received from the same class of permitholder located

19  within the same market area is 6 percent if the host facility

20  is a greyhound permitholder and, if the host facility is a jai

21  alai permitholder, the rate shall be 6.1 percent except that

22  it shall be 2.3 percent on handle at such time as the total

23  tax on intertrack handle paid to the division by the

24  permitholder during the current state fiscal year exceeds the

25  total tax on intertrack handle paid to the division by the

26  permitholder during the 1992-1993 state fiscal year.

27         3.  Any guest track that imposes a surcharge on each

28  winning ticket cashed pursuant to s. 550.6335 shall pay an

29  additional tax equal to 5 percent of the surcharge so imposed.

30  Any taxes so imposed shall be deposited into the General

31  Revenue Fund.

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  1         Section 3.  Subsection (4) of section 550.5251, Florida

  2  Statutes, is amended to read:

  3         550.5251  Florida thoroughbred racing; certain permits;

  4  operating days.--

  5         (4)  A thoroughbred racing permitholder may not begin

  6  any race later than 7 p.m. However, any thoroughbred

  7  permitholder in a county in which the authority for cardrooms

  8  has been approved by the board of county commissioners may

  9  elect not to operate a cardroom when conducting live races

10  during its current race meet and instead to receive and

11  rebroadcast out-of-state races after the hour between the

12  hours of 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. on any day during which the

13  permitholder conducts live races.  However, such permitholder

14  may not engage in both operating a cardroom and receiving or

15  rebroadcasting out-of-state races after 7 p.m.  Permitholders

16  shall be required to elect between either operating a cardroom

17  or engaging in simulcasting after 7 p.m. at the time of

18  submitting its application for its annual license pursuant to

19  this section s. 550.01215.

20         Section 4.  Paragraph (g) of subsection (9) of section

21  550.6305, Florida Statutes, is amended, and subsection (12) is

22  added to said section, to read:

23         550.6305  Intertrack wagering; guest track payments;

24  accounting rules.--

25         (9)  A host track that has contracted with an

26  out-of-state horse track to broadcast live races conducted at

27  such out-of-state horse track pursuant to s. 550.3551(5) may

28  broadcast such out-of-state races to any guest track and

29  accept wagers thereon in the same manner as is provided in s.

30  550.3551.

31

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  1         (g)1.  Any thoroughbred permitholder which accepts

  2  wagers on a simulcast signal must make the signal available to

  3  any permitholder that is eligible to conduct intertrack

  4  wagering under the provisions of ss. 550.615-550.6345.

  5         2.  Any thoroughbred permitholder which accepts wagers

  6  on a simulcast signal received after 6 p.m. must make such

  7  signal available to any permitholder that is eligible to

  8  conduct intertrack wagering under the provisions of ss.

  9  550.615-550.6345, including any permitholder located as

10  specified in s. 550.615(6).  Such guest permitholders are

11  authorized to accept wagers on such simulcast signal,

12  notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to the

13  contrary.

14         3.  Any thoroughbred permitholder which accepts wagers

15  on a simulcast signal received after 6 p.m. must make such

16  signal available to any permitholder that is eligible to

17  conduct intertrack wagering under the provisions of ss.

18  550.615-550.6345, including any permitholder located as

19  specified in s. 550.615(9).  Such guest permitholders are

20  authorized to accept wagers on such simulcast signals for a

21  number of performances not to exceed that which constitutes a

22  full schedule of live races for a quarter horse permitholder

23  pursuant to s. 550.002(11), notwithstanding any other

24  provision of this chapter to the contrary, except that the

25  restrictions provided in s. 550.615(9)(a) apply to wagers on

26  such simulcast signals.

27

28  No thoroughbred permitholder shall be required to continue to

29  rebroadcast a simulcast signal to any in-state permitholder if

30  the average per performance gross receipts returned to the

31  host permitholder over the preceding 30-day period were less

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  1  than $100.  Subject to the provisions of s. 550.615(4), as a

  2  condition of receiving rebroadcasts of thoroughbred simulcast

  3  signals under this paragraph, a guest track permitholder must

  4  accept intertrack wagers on all live races conducted by all

  5  then-operating thoroughbred permitholders a thoroughbred

  6  permitholder located in a county where there are only three

  7  permits, one for thoroughbred, one for greyhound, and one for

  8  jai alai.

  9         (12)  If either a guest track fails to make correct

10  payment of money due to the host track by 3 p.m. Friday of

11  each week for intertrack and interstate wagers accepted at the

12  guest track for the preceding Wednesday through Tuesday, or

13  the host track fails to make correct payment of money due to

14  the guest track by 3 p.m. Friday of each week for intertrack

15  and interstate wagers accepted at the host track, the

16  nonpaying track shall be in default.  The nondefaulting track

17  may notify the defaulting track by facsimile or express

18  service, or any other method in which a receipt is provided,

19  that the track is in default of payments required by this

20  section.  If payment is not received by the nondefaulting

21  track within 48 hours after the receipt of notice by the

22  defaulting track, then, notwithstanding any other provision of

23  this chapter to the contrary:

24         (a)  If the nondefaulting track is the host track, then

25  the host track shall have the right to discontinue

26  transmission of the signals and prohibit the acceptance of

27  wagers thereon by the guest track.

28         (b)  The nondefaulting track shall be entitled to

29  recover interest on all delinquent payments at the rate of 12

30  percent per annum from the due date through the date of

31  payment irrespective of whether litigation is initiated.

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  1         (c)  If litigation is initiated to collect sums due

  2  from the defaulting track, the venue shall be in the county

  3  where the nondefaulting track is located and the prevailing

  4  party in such litigation shall be entitled to recover its

  5  attorney's fees and court costs from the defaulting party,

  6  including those incurred in connection with any appeal.

  7         Section 5.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) and

  8  paragraph (d) of subsection (3) of section 550.2625, Florida

  9  Statutes, are amended to read:

10         550.2625  Horseracing; minimum purse requirement,

11  Florida breeders' and owners' awards.--

12         (2)  Each permitholder conducting a horserace meet is

13  required to pay from the takeout withheld on pari-mutuel pools

14  a sum for purses in accordance with the type of race

15  performed.

16         (a)  A permitholder conducting a thoroughbred horse

17  race meet under this chapter must pay as purses a sum not less

18  than 7.875 percent of live handle for performances conducted

19  between January 1 and March 31 of each year; and not less than

20  7.95 percent of live handle for performances conducted between

21  April 1 and December 31 of each year. Any permitholder whose

22  total handle on live performances during the 1991-1992 state

23  fiscal year was not greater than $34 million shall pay 7.5

24  percent of live handle for all performances conducted from the

25  takeout withheld a sum not less than 7.5 percent of all

26  contributions to pari-mutuel pools conducted during the race

27  meet as purses. In addition to the 7.5 percent minimum purse

28  payment, permitholders conducting live thoroughbred

29  performances shall be required to pay as additional purses

30  .375 percent of live handle for performances conducted during

31  the period beginning on January 3 and ending March 16; .225

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  1  percent for performances conducted during the period beginning

  2  March 17 and ending May 22; and .6 percent for performances

  3  conducted during the period beginning May 23 and ending

  4  January 2.  Except that any thoroughbred permitholder whose

  5  total handle on live performances during the 1991-1992 state

  6  fiscal year was not greater than $34 million is not subject to

  7  this additional purse payment. A permitholder authorized to

  8  conduct thoroughbred racing may withhold from the handle an

  9  additional amount equal to 1 percent on exotic wagering for

10  use as owners' awards, and may withhold from the handle an

11  amount equal to 2 percent on exotic wagering for use as

12  overnight purses.  No permitholder may withhold in excess of

13  20 percent from the handle without withholding the amounts set

14  forth in this subsection.

15         (3)  Each horseracing permitholder conducting any

16  thoroughbred race under this chapter, including any intertrack

17  race taken pursuant to ss. 550.615-550.6305 or any interstate

18  simulcast taken pursuant to s. 550.3551(3) shall pay a sum

19  equal to 0.75 percent on all pari-mutuel pools conducted

20  during any such race for the payment of breeders' and stallion

21  awards as authorized in this section.  This subsection also

22  applies to all Breeder's Cup races conducted outside this

23  state taken pursuant to s. 550.3551(3).  On any race

24  originating live in this state which is broadcast out-of-state

25  to any location at which wagers are accepted pursuant to s.

26  550.3551(2), the host track is required to pay 3.3 percent of

27  the gross revenue derived from such out-of-state broadcasts as

28  breeders' and stallion awards.  The Florida Thoroughbred

29  Breeders' Association is authorized to receive these payments

30  from the permitholders and make payments of awards earned.

31  The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' Association has the right

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  1  to withhold up to 10 percent of the permitholder's payments

  2  under this section as a fee for administering the payments of

  3  awards and for general promotion of the industry.  The

  4  permitholder shall remit these payments to the Florida

  5  Thoroughbred Breeders' Association by the 5th day of each

  6  calendar month for such sums accruing during the preceding

  7  calendar month and shall report such payments to the division

  8  as prescribed by the division.  With the exception of the

  9  10-percent fee, the moneys paid by the permitholders shall be

10  maintained in a separate, interest-bearing account, and such

11  payments together with any interest earned shall be used

12  exclusively for the payment of breeders' awards and stallion

13  awards in accordance with the following provisions:

14         (d)  In order for an owner of the sire of a

15  thoroughbred horse winning a stakes race to be eligible to

16  receive a stallion award, the stallion must have been

17  registered with the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders'

18  Association, and the breeding of the registered Florida-bred

19  horse must have occurred in this state. The stallion must be

20  standing permanently in this state during the period of time

21  between February 1 and June 15 of each year or, if the

22  stallion is dead, must have stood permanently in this state

23  for a period of not less than 1 year immediately prior to its

24  death. The removal of a stallion from this state during the

25  period of time between February 1 and June 15 of any year for

26  any reason, other than exclusively for prescribed medical

27  treatment, as approved by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders'

28  Association renders the owner or owners of the stallion

29  ineligible to receive a stallion award under any circumstances

30  for offspring sired prior to removal; however, if a removed

31  stallion is returned to this state, all offspring sired

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  1  subsequent to the return make the owner or owners of the

  2  stallion eligible for the stallion award but only for those

  3  offspring sired subsequent to such return to this state. The

  4  Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' Association shall maintain

  5  complete records showing the date the stallion arrived in this

  6  state for the first time, whether or not the stallion remained

  7  in the state permanently, the location of the stallion, and

  8  whether the stallion is still standing in this state and

  9  complete records showing awards earned, received, and

10  distributed.  The association may charge the owner, owners, or

11  breeder a reasonable fee for this service.

12         Section 6.  Effective July 1, 1998, paragraph (e) of

13  subsection (2) of section 550.2625, Florida Statutes, is

14  reenacted to read:

15         550.2625  Horseracing; minimum purse requirement,

16  Florida breeders' and owners' awards.--

17         (2)  Each permitholder conducting a horserace meet is

18  required to pay from the takeout withheld on pari-mutuel pools

19  a sum for purses in accordance with the type of race

20  performed.

21         (e)  An amount equal to 8.5 percent of the purse

22  account generated through intertrack wagering and interstate

23  simulcasting will be used for Florida Owners' Awards as set

24  forth in subsection (3).  Any thoroughbred permitholder with

25  an average blended takeout which does not exceed 20 percent

26  and with an average daily purse distribution excluding

27  sponsorship, entry fees, and nominations exceeding $225,000 is

28  exempt from the provisions of this subsection.

29         Section 7.  Sections 550.09515, 550.2425, and 550.655

30  and subsection (11) of section 550.615, Florida Statutes, are

31  repealed.

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  1         Section 8.  Subsections (1), (3), (4), (5), and (6) of

  2  section 550.26352, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

  3         550.26352  Breeders' Cup Meet; pools authorized;

  4  conflicts; taxes; credits; transmission of races; rules;

  5  application.--

  6         (1)  Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to

  7  the contrary, there is hereby created a special thoroughbred

  8  race meet which shall be designated as the "Breeders' Cup

  9  Meet." The Breeders' Cup Meet shall be conducted at the

10  facility of the Florida permitholder selected by Breeders' Cup

11  Limited to conduct the Breeders' Cup Meet.  The Breeders' Cup

12  Meet shall consist of 3 days: the day on which the Breeders'

13  Cup races are conducted, the preceding day, and the subsequent

14  day.  Upon the selection of the Florida permitholder as host

15  for the Breeders' Cup Meet and application by the selected

16  permitholder, the division shall issue a license to the

17  selected permitholder to operate the Breeders' Cup Meet.

18  Notwithstanding s. 550.09515(2)(a), The Breeders' Cup Meet may

19  be conducted on dates which the selected permitholder is not

20  otherwise authorized to conduct a race meet.

21         (3)  If the permitholder conducting the Breeders' Cup

22  Meet is located within 35 miles of one or more permitholders

23  scheduled to conduct a thoroughbred race meet on any of the 3

24  days of the Breeders' Cup Meet, then operation on any of those

25  3 days by the other permitholders is prohibited.  As

26  compensation for the loss of racing days caused thereby, such

27  operating permitholders shall receive a credit against the

28  taxes otherwise due and payable to the state under s. ss.

29  550.0951 and 550.09515.  This credit shall be in an amount

30  equal to the operating loss determined to have been suffered

31  by the operating permitholders as a result of not operating on

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  1  the prohibited racing days, but shall not exceed a total of

  2  $500,000.  The determination of the amount to be credited

  3  shall be made by the division upon application by the

  4  operating permitholder.  The tax credits provided in this

  5  subsection shall not be available unless an operating

  6  permitholder is required to close a bona fide meet consisting

  7  in part of no fewer than 10 scheduled performances in the 15

  8  days immediately preceding or 10 scheduled performances in the

  9  15 days immediately following the Breeders' Cup Meet.  Such

10  tax credit shall be in lieu of any other compensation or

11  consideration for the loss of racing days. There shall be no

12  replacement or makeup of any lost racing days.

13         (4)  Notwithstanding any provision of s. ss. 550.0951

14  and 550.09515, the permitholder conducting the Breeders' Cup

15  Meet shall pay no taxes on the handle included within the

16  pari-mutuel pools of said permitholder during the Breeders'

17  Cup Meet.

18         (5)  The permitholder conducting the Breeders' Cup Meet

19  shall receive a credit against the taxes otherwise due and

20  payable to the state under s. ss. 550.0951 and 550.09515

21  generated during said permitholder's next ensuing regular

22  thoroughbred race meet. This credit shall be in an amount not

23  to exceed $800,000 and shall be utilized by the permitholder

24  to pay the purses offered by the permitholder during the

25  Breeders' Cup Meet in excess of the purses which the

26  permitholder is otherwise required by law to pay.  The amount

27  to be credited shall be determined by the division upon

28  application of the permitholder which is subject to audit by

29  the division.

30         (6)  The permitholder conducting the Breeders' Cup Meet

31  shall receive a credit against the taxes otherwise due and

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  1  payable to the state under s. ss. 550.0951 and 550.09515

  2  generated during said permitholder's next ensuing regular

  3  thoroughbred race meet. This credit shall be in an amount not

  4  to exceed $800,000 and shall be utilized by the permitholder

  5  for such capital improvements and extraordinary expenses as

  6  may be necessary for operation of the Breeders' Cup Meet.  The

  7  amount to be credited shall be determined by the division upon

  8  application of the permitholder which is subject to audit by

  9  the division.

10         Section 9.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (7) of section

11  550.334, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

12         550.334  Quarter horse racing; substitutions.--

13         (7)

14         (b)  Any permittee operating within an area of 50 air

15  miles of a licensed thoroughbred track may not substitute

16  thoroughbred races under this section while a thoroughbred

17  horse race meet is in progress within that 50 miles. Any

18  permittee operating within an area of 125 air miles of a

19  licensed thoroughbred track may not substitute live

20  thoroughbred races under this section while a thoroughbred

21  permittee who pays the appropriate taxes under s.

22  550.09515(2)(a) is conducting a thoroughbred meet within that

23  125 miles.  These mileage restrictions do not apply to any

24  permittee that holds a nonwagering permit issued pursuant to

25  s. 550.505.  Races comprised of thoroughbred horses under this

26  section registered with the Jockey Club may not be permitted

27  during the period beginning September 1 and ending January 5

28  of each year in any county where there are one or more

29  licensed dog tracks conducting race meets. This section does

30  not affect the competitive award of matinee performances to

31  jai alai frontons or dog tracks in opposition to races

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1998                HB 3723

    143-234A-98






  1  comprised of thoroughbred horses registered with the Jockey

  2  Club under this section.

  3         Section 10.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section

  4  550.3551, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

  5         550.3551  Transmission of racing and jai alai

  6  information; commingling of pari-mutuel pools.--

  7         (3)  Any horse track licensed under this chapter may

  8  receive broadcasts of horseraces conducted at other horse

  9  racetracks located outside this state at the racetrack

10  enclosure of the licensee during its racing meet.

11         (c)  All forms of pari-mutuel wagering are allowed on

12  races broadcast under this section, and all money wagered by

13  patrons on such races shall be computed as part of the total

14  amount of money wagered at each racing performance for

15  purposes of taxation under ss. 550.0951 and , 550.09512, and

16  550.09515.  Section 550.2625(2)(a), (b), and (c) does not

17  apply to any money wagered on races broadcast under this

18  section.  Similarly, the takeout shall be increased by breaks

19  and uncashed tickets for wagers on races broadcast under this

20  section, notwithstanding any contrary provision of this

21  chapter.

22         Section 11.  Except as otherwise provided herein, this

23  act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1998                HB 3723

    143-234A-98






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  2                          HOUSE SUMMARY

  3
      Revises provisions of law relating to thoroughbred horse
  4    racing to:
           1.  Revise provisions relating to periods of
  5    operation to provide for the rebroadcast of out-of-state
      races after 7 p.m.
  6         2.  Provide that no admission tax shall be charged
      on any free passes or complimentary cards for admission
  7    to pari-mutuel events.
           3.  Revise the tax on handle for thoroughbred
  8    events.
           4.  Revise language with respect to intertrack
  9    wagering and guest track payments and to provide a
      procedure when required payments between tracks are not
10    made so that the nondefaulting party may recover.
           5.  Revise language with respect to purse
11    requirements.
           6.  Repeal provisions relating to a racing
12    laboratory at horse racetrack facilities and a provision
      relating to backside medical and health benefits.
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14    See bill for details.

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