Senate Bill sb1406

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1406

    By Senators Campbell, Jones and Bennett





    32-740-03

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to pari-mutuel wagering;

  3         amending s. 550.3551, F.S.; deleting a

  4         limitation on horsetracks receiving broadcasts

  5         of races conducted out of this state; providing

  6         clarification regarding simulcast horseraces;

  7         amending s. 550.5251, F.S.; deleting a

  8         limitation on beginning thoroughbred races

  9         after 7 p.m.; amending s. 550.615, F.S.;

10         deleting a limitation on accepting certain

11         intertrack wagers; amending s. 550.6305, F.S.;

12         authorizing certain intertrack wagering;

13         providing an effective date.

14  

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

16  

17         Section 1.  Subsection (3) of section 550.3551, Florida

18  Statutes; is amended, and subsection (15) is added to that

19  section, to read:

20         550.3551  Transmission of racing and jai alai

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

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

23  receive broadcasts of horseraces conducted at other horse

24  racetracks located outside this state at the racetrack

25  enclosure of the licensee during its racing meet.

26         (a)  All broadcasts of horseraces received from

27  locations outside this state must comply with the provisions

28  of the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978, 92 Stat. 1811, 15

29  U.S.C. ss. 3001 et seq.

30         (b)  Wagers accepted at the horse track in this state

31  may be, but are not required to be, included in the

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1406
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 1  pari-mutuel pools of the out-of-state horse track that

 2  broadcasts the race. Notwithstanding any contrary provisions

 3  of this chapter, if the horse track in this state elects to

 4  include wagers accepted on such races in the pari-mutuel pools

 5  of the out-of-state horse track that broadcasts the race, from

 6  the amount wagered by patrons at the horse track in this state

 7  and included in the pari-mutuel pools of the out-of-state

 8  horse track, the horse track in this state shall deduct as the

 9  takeout from the amount wagered by patrons at the horse track

10  in this state and included in the pari-mutuel pools of the

11  out-of-state horse track a percentage equal to the percentage

12  deducted from the amount wagered at the out-of-state racetrack

13  as is authorized by the laws of the jurisdiction exercising

14  regulatory authority over the out-of-state horse track.

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

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

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

18  amount of money wagered at each racing performance for

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

20  550.09515.  Section 550.2625(2)(a), (b), and (c) does not

21  apply to any money wagered on races broadcast under this

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

23  and uncashed tickets for wagers on races broadcast under this

24  section, notwithstanding any contrary provision of this

25  chapter.

26         (15)  This chapter does not prevent a licensed horse

27  track from receiving and engaging in pari-mutuel wagering on

28  simulcast horseraces.

29         Section 2.  Subsections (4), (5), (6), and (7) of

30  section 550.5251, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1406
    32-740-03




 1         550.5251  Florida thoroughbred racing; certain permits;

 2  operating days.--

 3         (4)  A thoroughbred racing permitholder may not begin

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

 5  permitholder in a county in which the authority for cardrooms

 6  has been approved by the board of county commissioners may

 7  elect not to operate a cardroom when conducting live races

 8  during its current race meet and instead to receive and

 9  rebroadcast out-of-state races after the hour of 7 p.m. on any

10  day during which the permitholder conducts live races.

11  However, such permitholder may not engage in both operating a

12  cardroom and receiving or rebroadcasting out-of-state races

13  after 7 p.m.  Permitholders shall be required to elect between

14  either operating a cardroom or engaging in simulcasting after

15  7 p.m. at the time of submitting its application for its

16  annual license pursuant to this section.

17         (4)(5)(a)  Each licensed thoroughbred permitholder in

18  this state must run an average of one race per racing day in

19  which horses bred in this state and duly registered with the

20  Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' Association have preference as

21  entries over non-Florida-bred horses.  All licensed

22  thoroughbred racetracks shall write the conditions for such

23  races in which Florida-bred horses are preferred so as to

24  assure that all Florida-bred horses available for racing at

25  such tracks are given full opportunity to run in the class of

26  races for which they are qualified.  The opportunity of

27  running must be afforded to each class of horses in the

28  proportion that the number of horses in this class bears to

29  the total number of Florida-bred horses available.  A track is

30  not required to write conditions for a race to accommodate a

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1406
    32-740-03




 1  class of horses for which a race would otherwise not be run at

 2  the track during its meeting.

 3         (b)  Each licensed thoroughbred permitholder in this

 4  state may run one additional race per racing day composed

 5  exclusively of Arabian horses registered with the Arabian

 6  Horse Registry of America.  Any licensed thoroughbred

 7  permitholder that elects to run one additional race per racing

 8  day composed exclusively of Arabian horses registered with the

 9  Arabian Horse Registry of America is not required to provide

10  stables for the Arabian horses racing under this paragraph.

11         (c)  Each licensed thoroughbred permitholder in this

12  state may run up to three additional races per racing day

13  composed exclusively of quarter horses registered with the

14  American Quarter Horse Association.

15         (5)(6)  Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection

16  (2), a thoroughbred permitholder who fails to operate all

17  performances on its 2001-2002 license does not lose its right

18  to retain its permit. Such thoroughbred permitholder is

19  eligible for issuance of an annual license pursuant to s.

20  550.0115 for subsequent thoroughbred racing seasons. The

21  division shall take no disciplinary action against such

22  thoroughbred permitholder for failure to operate all licensed

23  performances for the 2001-2002 license pursuant to this

24  section or s. 550.01215. This section may not be interpreted

25  to prohibit the division from taking disciplinary action

26  against a thoroughbred permitholder for failure to pay taxes

27  on performances operated pursuant to its 2001-2002 license.

28  This subsection expires July 1, 2003.

29         (7)  A thoroughbred permitholder shall file an

30  amendment with the division no later than July 1, 2002, that

31  indicates that it will not be able to operate the performances

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1406
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 1  scheduled on its 2002-2003 license without imposition of any

 2  penalty for failure to operate all licensed performances

 3  provided in this chapter. This subsection expires July 1,

 4  2003.

 5         Section 3.  Subsection (6) of section 550.615, Florida

 6  Statutes, is amended to read:

 7         550.615  Intertrack wagering.--

 8         (6)  Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (3),

 9  in any area of the state where there are three or more

10  horserace permitholders within 25 miles of each other,

11  intertrack wagering between permitholders in said area of the

12  state shall only be authorized under the following conditions:

13  Any permitholder, other than a thoroughbred permitholder, may

14  accept intertrack wagers on races or games conducted live by a

15  permitholder of the same class or any harness permitholder

16  located within such area and any harness permitholder may

17  accept wagers on games conducted live by any jai alai

18  permitholder located within its market area and from a jai

19  alai permitholder located within the area specified in this

20  subsection when no jai alai permitholder located within its

21  market area is conducting live jai alai performances; any

22  greyhound or jai alai permitholder may receive broadcasts of

23  and accept wagers on any other permitholder if of the other

24  class provided that a permitholder, other than the host track,

25  of such other class is not operating a contemporaneous live

26  performance within the market area.

27         Section 4.  Subsection (9) of section 550.6305, Florida

28  Statutes, is amended to read:

29         550.6305  Intertrack wagering; guest track payments;

30  accounting rules.--

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1406
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 1         (9)  A host track that has contracted with an

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

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

 4  broadcast during its live meet such out-of-state races to any

 5  guest track and accept wagers thereon in the same manner as is

 6  provided in s. 550.3551.

 7         (a)  For purposes of this section, "net proceeds" means

 8  the amount of takeout remaining after the payment of state

 9  taxes, purses required pursuant to s. 550.0951(3)(c)1., the

10  cost to the permitholder required to be paid to the

11  out-of-state horse track, and breeders' awards paid to the

12  Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' Association and the Florida

13  Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association, to be used as

14  set forth in s. 550.625(2)(a) and (b).

15         (b)  Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1)

16  and s. 550.625(1) and (2)(a), the distribution of the net

17  proceeds that are retained by a thoroughbred host track from

18  the takeout on an out-of-state race rebroadcast under this

19  subsection shall be as follows:

20         1.  One-third of the remainder of such proceeds shall

21  be paid to the guest track;

22         2.  One-third of the remainder of such proceeds shall

23  be retained by the host track; and

24         3.  One-third of the remainder of such proceeds shall

25  be paid by the host track as purses at the host track.

26         (c)  All guest tracks other than thoroughbred

27  permitholders that are eligible to receive wagers on

28  out-of-state horseraces rebroadcast from a host track racing

29  under a thoroughbred horse permit shall be subject to the

30  distribution of the net proceeds as specified in paragraph (a)

31  unless the host and guest permitholders and the recognized

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1406
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 1  horseman's group agree to a different distribution of their

 2  respective portions of the proceeds by contract.

 3         (d)  Any permitholder located in any area of the state

 4  where there are only two permits, one for dogracing and one

 5  for jai alai, may accept wagers on rebroadcasts of

 6  out-of-state thoroughbred horse races from an in-state

 7  thoroughbred horse racing permitholder and shall not be

 8  subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) if such

 9  thoroughbred horse racing permitholder located within the area

10  specified in this paragraph is both conducting live races and

11  accepting wagers on out-of-state horseraces.  In such case,

12  the guest permitholder shall be entitled to 45 percent of the

13  net proceeds on wagers accepted at the guest facility.  The

14  remaining proceeds shall be distributed as follows: one-half

15  shall be retained by the host facility and one-half shall be

16  paid by the host facility as purses at the host facility.

17         (e)  Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1)

18  and s. 550.625(1) and (2)(b), the proceeds that are retained

19  by a harness host facility from the takeout on a race

20  broadcast under this subsection shall be distributed as

21  follows:

22         1.  Of the total intertrack handle on the broadcast, 1

23  percent shall be deducted from the proceeds and paid to the

24  Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association, Inc., to

25  be used as set forth in s. 550.625(2)(b);

26         2.  One-third of the remainder of such proceeds shall

27  be paid to the guest facility;

28         3.  One-third of the remainder of such proceeds shall

29  be retained by the host facility; and

30         4.  One-third of the remainder of said proceeds shall

31  be paid by the host facility as purses at the host facility.

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1406
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 1         (f)  Any permitholder located in any area of the state

 2  where there are only two permits, one for dogracing and one

 3  for jai alai, may accept wagers on rebroadcasts of

 4  out-of-state harness horse races from an in-state harness

 5  horse racing permitholder and shall not be subject to the

 6  provisions of paragraph (b) if such harness horse racing

 7  permitholder located within the area specified in this

 8  paragraph is conducting live races.  In such case, the guest

 9  permitholder shall be entitled to 45 percent of the net

10  proceeds on wagers accepted at the guest facility.  The

11  remaining proceeds shall be distributed as follows: one-half

12  shall be retained by the host facility and one-half shall be

13  paid by the host facility as purses at the host facility.

14         (g)1.  Any thoroughbred permitholder that which accepts

15  wagers on a simulcast signal must, during its live meet, make

16  the signal available to any permitholder that is eligible to

17  conduct intertrack wagering under the provisions of ss.

18  550.615-550.6345.

19         2.  Any thoroughbred permitholder that which accepts

20  wagers on a simulcast signal received after 6 p.m. must,

21  during its live meet, make such signal available to any

22  permitholder that is eligible to conduct intertrack wagering

23  under the provisions of ss. 550.615-550.6345, including any

24  permitholder located as specified in s. 550.615(6).  Such

25  guest permitholders are authorized to accept wagers on such

26  simulcast signal, notwithstanding any other provision of this

27  chapter to the contrary.

28         3.  Any thoroughbred permitholder which accepts wagers

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

30  signal available to any permitholder that is eligible to

31  conduct intertrack wagering under the provisions of ss.

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1406
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 1  550.615-550.6345, including any permitholder located as

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

 3  authorized to accept wagers on such simulcast signals for a

 4  number of performances not to exceed that which constitutes a

 5  full schedule of live races for a quarter horse permitholder

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

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

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

 9  such simulcast signals.

10  

11  No thoroughbred permitholder shall be required to continue to

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

13  the average per performance gross receipts returned to the

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

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

16  condition of receiving rebroadcasts of thoroughbred simulcast

17  signals under this paragraph, a guest permitholder must accept

18  intertrack wagers on all live races conducted by all

19  then-operating thoroughbred permitholders.

20         Section 5.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2003.

21  

22            *****************************************

23                          SENATE SUMMARY

24    Revises provisions relating to pari-mutuel intertrack
      wagering, expanding the scope of such wagering. (See bill
25    for details.)

26  

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