House Bill 1435
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Florida House of Representatives - 2000 HB 1435
By Representative Morroni
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to thoroughbred horse racing;
3 amending s. 550.2614, F.S.; providing for
4 membership in a horsemen's association;
5 providing payment of 1 percent of the purse for
6 providing assistance or relief to certain
7 persons associated with thoroughbred racing;
8 empowering the Division of Pari-mutuel Wagering
9 to adopt rules and to audit the use of such
10 funds; amending s. 550.3551, F.S.; including
11 reference to the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent
12 and Protective Association, Inc., to conform to
13 the act; providing an effective date.
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15 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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17 Section 1. Section 550.2614, Florida Statutes, is
18 amended to read:
19 (Substantial rewording of section. See
20 s. 550.2614, F.S., for present text.)
21 550.2614 Horsemen's association; membership;
22 responsibilities.--
23 (1) Upon receiving a license, each thoroughbred owner
24 and trainer shall receive automatic membership in the Florida
25 Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, Inc., and be
26 counted on the membership rolls of that association, unless,
27 within 30 calendar days after receipt of license from the
28 division, the individual declines such membership in writing,
29 in that association. The division shall monitor the membership
30 rolls of that association to ensure that complete, accurate,
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Florida House of Representatives - 2000 HB 1435
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1 and timely listings are monitored for the purposes specified
2 herein and in s. 550.3551.
3 (2) Each licensee that holds a permit for thoroughbred
4 horse racing in this state shall deduct from the total purse
5 pool an amount of money equal to 1 percent of the total purse
6 pool and shall pay that amount to the Florida Horsemen's
7 Benevolent and Protective Association, Inc., or its affiliate
8 for the purpose of providing for the benefit, aid, assistance,
9 or relief of thoroughbred owners, trainers, exercise riders,
10 grooms, stable attendants, and other thoroughbred racing
11 personnel employed in connection with racing, and their
12 spouses and children, who can demonstrate a need for financial
13 assistance connected with death, illness, or off-the-job
14 injury and who are not otherwise covered by health and welfare
15 plans, workers' compensation, social security, public
16 assistance, or any type of health, medical, death, or accident
17 insurance. The Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective
18 Association, Inc., shall represent all horsemen's interests
19 and property rights in dealing with thoroughbred permitholders
20 and shall generally be entrusted with promoting the sport of
21 thoroughbred horse racing.
22 (3) The division shall adopt rules to facilitate the
23 orderly transfer of funds in accordance with this section. The
24 division shall audit the distribution of such funds as
25 authorized in this section to assure that such funds are being
26 utilized for the purposes as set forth in this section.
27 Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (6) of section
28 550.3551, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
29 550.3551 Transmission of racing and jai alai
30 information; commingling of pari-mutuel pools.--
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Florida House of Representatives - 2000 HB 1435
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1 (6)(a) A maximum of 20 percent of the total number of
2 races on which wagers are accepted by a greyhound permitholder
3 not located as specified in s. 550.615(6) may be received from
4 locations outside this state. A permitholder may not conduct
5 fewer than eight live races or games on any authorized race
6 day except as provided in this subsection. A thoroughbred
7 permitholder may not conduct fewer than eight live races on
8 any race day without the written approval of the Florida
9 Thoroughbred Breeders' Association and the Florida Horsemen's
10 Benevolent and Protective Association, Inc. horsemen's group
11 representing the majority of thoroughbred racehorse owners and
12 trainers in this state. A harness permitholder may conduct
13 fewer than eight live races on any authorized race day, except
14 that such permitholder must conduct a full schedule of live
15 racing during its race meet consisting of at least eight live
16 races per authorized race day for at least 100 days. Any
17 harness horse permitholder that during the preceding racing
18 season conducted a full schedule of live racing may, at any
19 time during its current race meet, receive full-card
20 broadcasts of harness horse races conducted at harness
21 racetracks outside this state at the harness track of the
22 permitholder and accept wagers on such harness races. With
23 specific authorization from the division for special racing
24 events, a permitholder may conduct fewer than eight live races
25 or games when the permitholder also broadcasts out-of-state
26 races or games. The division may not grant more than two such
27 exceptions a year for a permitholder in any 12-month period,
28 and those two exceptions may not be consecutive.
29 Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
30 law.
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Florida House of Representatives - 2000 HB 1435
536-170-00
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2 HOUSE SUMMARY
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Provides for automatic membership in the Florida
4 Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, Inc.,
for persons receiving a license as a thoroughbred owner
5 or trainer. Provides for payment of 1 percent of the
purse for providing assistance or relief to described
6 persons associated with thoroughbred racing. See bill for
details.
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