| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to pari-mutuel wagering permitholders; |
| 3 | amending s. 550.054, F.S.; providing for a jai alai |
| 4 | permitholder meeting certain conditions to apply to the |
| 5 | Division of Pari-mutuel Wagering to convert a permit to |
| 6 | conduct jai alai to a permit to conduct greyhound racing; |
| 7 | directing the division to issue a permit and license to |
| 8 | conduct greyhound racing if certain conditions are met; |
| 9 | providing for the relocation of certain permits; amending |
| 10 | s. 550.0555, F.S.; providing for the relocation of certain |
| 11 | permits to conduct greyhound dogracing; amending s. |
| 12 | 550.0951, F.S.; revising tax on handle for live dogracing; |
| 13 | providing for an incentive tax on handle when the handle |
| 14 | exceeds certain amounts; amending s. 550.615, F.S.; |
| 15 | removing certain restrictions on conducting intertrack |
| 16 | wagering at certain facilities; providing an effective |
| 17 | date. |
| 18 |
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| 19 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 20 |
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| 21 | Section 1. Subsection (14) is added to section 550.054, |
| 22 | Florida Statutes, to read: |
| 23 | 550.054 Application for permit to conduct pari-mutuel |
| 24 | wagering.-- |
| 25 | (14)(a) Any holder of a permit to conduct jai alai may |
| 26 | apply to the division to convert such permit to a permit to |
| 27 | conduct greyhound racing in lieu of jai alai if: |
| 28 | 1. Such permit was not previously converted from any other |
| 29 | class of permit and the holder of that permit has not conducted |
| 30 | jai alai games during a period of 10 years immediately preceding |
| 31 | his or her application for conversion under this subsection; or |
| 32 | 2. Such permit was issued pursuant to s. 550.0745. |
| 33 | (b) The division, upon application from the holder of a |
| 34 | jai alai permit meeting all conditions of this section, shall |
| 35 | convert the permit and shall issue to the holder of the permit a |
| 36 | permit and license to conduct greyhound racing. The holder of a |
| 37 | permit converted pursuant to this subsection which operates at a |
| 38 | leased facility pursuant to s. 550.475 may move the location for |
| 39 | which the permit has been issued to another location within a |
| 40 | 30-mile radius of the location fixed in the permit issued in |
| 41 | that county, provided the move does not cross the county |
| 42 | boundary and such location is approved under the zoning |
| 43 | regulations of the county or municipality in which the permit is |
| 44 | located, and upon such relocation may use the permit for any |
| 45 | authorized purpose, including the conduct of pari-mutuel |
| 46 | wagering and the operation of a cardroom. The provisions of s. |
| 47 | 550.6305(9)(d) and (f) shall continue to apply to any permit |
| 48 | converted under this subsection which was previously included |
| 49 | under and subject to such provisions. |
| 50 | Section 2. Subsection (3) is added to section 550.0555, |
| 51 | Florida Statutes, to read: |
| 52 | 550.0555 Greyhound dogracing permits; relocation within a |
| 53 | county; conditions.-- |
| 54 | (3) Any holder of a valid outstanding permit for greyhound |
| 55 | dogracing who, during the immediate preceding state fiscal year, |
| 56 | operated at a leased facility pursuant to s. 550.475 may move |
| 57 | the location for which the permit has been issued to another |
| 58 | location within a 30-mile radius of the location fixed in the |
| 59 | permit issued in that county, provided the move does not cross |
| 60 | the county boundary and such relocation is approved under the |
| 61 | zoning regulations of the county or municipality in which the |
| 62 | permit is to be located, and upon such relocation may use the |
| 63 | permit for any authorized purpose, including the conduct of |
| 64 | pari-mutuel wagering and the operation of a cardroom. |
| 65 | Section 3. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section |
| 66 | 550.0951, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 67 | 550.0951 Payment of daily license fee and taxes; |
| 68 | penalties.-- |
| 69 | (3) TAX ON HANDLE.--Each permitholder shall pay a tax on |
| 70 | contributions to pari-mutuel pools, the aggregate of which is |
| 71 | hereinafter referred to as "handle," on races or games conducted |
| 72 | by the permitholder. The tax is imposed daily and is based on |
| 73 | the total contributions to all pari-mutuel pools conducted |
| 74 | during the daily performance. If a permitholder conducts more |
| 75 | than one performance daily, the tax is imposed on each |
| 76 | performance separately. |
| 77 | (b)1. The tax on handle for dogracing is 5.5 percent of |
| 78 | the handle, except that for live charity performances held |
| 79 | pursuant to s. 550.0351, and for intertrack wagering on such |
| 80 | charity performances at a guest greyhound track within the |
| 81 | market area of the host, the tax is 7.6 percent of the handle. |
| 82 | Any permitholder whose live dogracing handle is over $20 million |
| 83 | shall be entitled to an incentive tax rate. The tax on live |
| 84 | handle from $20,000,001 to $25,000,000 shall be 3 percent of |
| 85 | such handle. The tax on live handle over $25,000,000 shall be |
| 86 | 0.5 percent of such handle. |
| 87 | 2. The tax on handle for jai alai is 7.1 percent of the |
| 88 | handle. |
| 89 | Section 4. Subsection (8) of section 550.615, Florida |
| 90 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 91 | 550.615 Intertrack wagering.-- |
| 92 | (8) A In any three contiguous counties of the state where |
| 93 | there are only three permitholders, all of which are greyhound |
| 94 | permitholders, if any permitholder who leases the facility of |
| 95 | another permitholder for all or any portion of the conduct of |
| 96 | its live race meet pursuant to s. 550.475, such lessee may |
| 97 | conduct intertrack wagering at its pre-lease permitted facility |
| 98 | throughout the entire year, including while its live meet is |
| 99 | being conducted at the leased facility, if such permitholder has |
| 100 | conducted a full schedule of live racing during the preceding |
| 101 | fiscal year at its pre-lease permitted facility or at a leased |
| 102 | facility, or combination thereof. |
| 103 | Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2008. |