Senate Bill sb1692e1

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    CS for SB 1692                                 First Engrossed



  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to pari-mutuel wagering;

  3         providing a title; requiring dogracing

  4         permitholders to provide a greyhound-adoption

  5         booth at each dogracing facility in the state;

  6         requiring that the booth be operated by certain

  7         qualified persons on weekends; requiring that

  8         information concerning the adoption of a

  9         greyhound be made available to the public at

10         the facility; requiring the permitholder to

11         provide adoption information in racing programs

12         and to identify greyhounds that will become

13         available for adoption; authorizing the

14         permitholder to hold an additional charity day

15         that is designated as "Greyhound Adopt-A-Pet

16         Day"; requiring that profits derived from the

17         charity day be used to fund activities

18         promoting the adoption of greyhounds;

19         authorizing the Division of Pari-mutuel

20         Wagering within the Department of Business and

21         Professional Regulation to adopt rules;

22         providing penalties; amending s. 550.1647,

23         F.S., relating to unclaimed tickets and breaks

24         with respect to greyhound racing; defining the

25         term "bona fide organization that promotes or

26         encourages the adoption of greyhounds";

27         providing an effective date.

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

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    CS for SB 1692                                 First Engrossed



  1         Section 1.  This act may be cited as the "Debbie

  2  Wasserman Schultz Act."

  3         Section 2.  Greyhound adoptions.--

  4         (1)  Each dogracing permitholder operating a dogracing

  5  facility in this state shall provide for a greyhound-adoption

  6  booth to be located at the facility. The greyhound-adoption

  7  booth must be operated on weekends by personnel or volunteers

  8  from a bona fide organization that promotes or encourages the

  9  adoption of greyhounds pursuant to section 550.1647, Florida

10  Statutes. As used in this section, the term "weekend" includes

11  the hours during which live greyhound racing is conducted on

12  Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Information pamphlets and

13  application forms shall be provided to the public upon

14  request. In addition, the kennel operator or owner shall

15  notify the permitholder that a greyhound is available for

16  adoption and the permitholder shall provide information

17  concerning the adoption of a greyhound in each race program

18  and shall post adoption information at conspicuous locations

19  throughout the dogracing facility. Any greyhound that is

20  participating in a race and that will be available for future

21  adoption must be noted in the race program. The permitholder

22  shall allow greyhounds to be walked through the track facility

23  to publicize the greyhound-adoption program.

24         (2)  In addition to the charity days authorized under

25  section 550.0351, Florida Statutes, a greyhound permitholder

26  may fund the greyhound-adoption program by holding a charity

27  racing day designated as "Greyhound Adopt-A-Pet Day." All

28  profits derived from the operation of the charity day must be

29  placed into a fund used to support activities at the racing

30  facility which promote the adoption of greyhounds. The

31  division may adopt rules for administering the fund. Proceeds


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    CS for SB 1692                                 First Engrossed



  1  from the charity day authorized in this subsection may not be

  2  used as a source of funds for the purposes set forth in

  3  section 550.1647, Florida Statutes.

  4         (3)(a)  Upon a violation of this section by a

  5  permitholder or licensee, the division may impose a penalty as

  6  provided in section 550.0251(10), Florida Statutes, and

  7  require the permitholder to take corrective action.

  8         (b)  A penalty imposed under section 550.0251(10),

  9  Florida Statutes, does not exclude a prosecution for cruelty

10  to animals or for any other criminal act.

11         Section 3.  Section 550.1647, Florida Statutes, is

12  amended to read:

13         550.1647  Greyhound permitholders; unclaimed tickets;

14  breaks.--All money or other property represented by any

15  unclaimed, uncashed, or abandoned pari-mutuel ticket which has

16  remained in the custody of or under the control of any

17  permitholder authorized to conduct greyhound racing

18  pari-mutuel pools in this state for a period of 1 year after

19  the date the pari-mutuel ticket was issued, if the rightful

20  owner or owners thereof have made no claim or demand for such

21  money or other property within that period of time, shall,

22  with respect to live races conducted by the permitholder, be

23  remitted to the state pursuant to s. 550.1645; however, such

24  permitholder shall be entitled to a credit in each state

25  fiscal year in an amount equal to the actual amount remitted

26  in the prior state fiscal year which may be applied against

27  any taxes imposed pursuant to this chapter. In addition, each

28  permitholder shall pay, from any source, including the

29  proceeds from performances conducted pursuant to s. 550.0351,

30  an amount not less than 10 percent of the amount of the credit

31  provided by this section to any bona fide organization that


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    CS for SB 1692                                 First Engrossed



  1  promotes or encourages the adoption of greyhounds. As used in

  2  this section, the term "bona fide organization that promotes

  3  or encourages the adoption of greyhounds" means any

  4  organization that provides evidence of compliance with chapter

  5  496 and possesses a valid exemption from federal taxation

  6  issued by the Internal Revenue Service. Such bona fide

  7  organization, as a condition of adoption, must provide

  8  sterilization of greyhounds by a licensed veterinarian before

  9  relinquishing custody of the greyhound to the adoptor. The fee

10  for sterilization may be included in the cost of adoption.

11         Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2001.

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