Florida Senate - 2018 SB 1774
By Senator Rader
29-01530-18 20181774__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to greyhound racing; amending s.
3 550.2415, F.S.; providing that a positive test result
4 for anabolic steroids in certain samples from a
5 greyhound violates the prohibition on the racing of
6 animals that are impermissibly medicated or determined
7 to have a prohibited substance present; providing
8 exceptions; requiring greyhound tracks to be
9 maintained in a manner consistent with providing for
10 the safety of racing greyhounds; providing that tracks
11 must meet certain safety requirements; requiring the
12 Division of Pari-mutuel Wagering to adopt rules to
13 provide standards for food served to racing greyhounds
14 at kennels and greyhound tracks; providing that the
15 division has exclusive authority to regulate the
16 welfare of racing greyhounds in this state; preempting
17 the regulation of the welfare of racing greyhounds to
18 the state; providing that the preemption supersedes
19 any municipal or county ordinance on the subject;
20 providing an effective date.
21
22 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
23
24 Section 1. Subsections (12), (13), and (14) of section
25 550.2415, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections
26 (15), (16), and (17), respectively, paragraph (a) of subsection
27 (1) of that section is amended, and new subsections (12), (13),
28 and (14) are added to that section, to read:
29 550.2415 Racing of animals under certain conditions
30 prohibited; penalties; exceptions.—
31 (1)(a) The racing of an animal that has been impermissibly
32 medicated or determined to have a prohibited substance present
33 is prohibited. It is a violation of this section for a person to
34 impermissibly medicate an animal or for an animal to have a
35 prohibited substance present resulting in a positive test for
36 such medications or substances based on samples taken from the
37 animal before or immediately after the racing of that animal. It
38 is a violation of this section for a greyhound to have anabolic
39 steroids present resulting in a positive test for such steroids
40 based on samples taken from the greyhound immediately after the
41 racing of that greyhound, unless such steroids are used for
42 birth control for the greyhound or the steroids are otherwise
43 prescribed by a veterinarian licensed in this state who used the
44 steroids to treat an injury or an illness, and the veterinarian
45 is not employed by a greyhound permitholder. Test results and
46 the identities of the animals being tested and of their trainers
47 and owners of record are confidential and exempt from s.
48 119.07(1) and from s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution
49 for 10 days after testing of all samples collected on a
50 particular day has been completed and any positive test results
51 derived from such samples have been reported to the director of
52 the division or administrative action has been commenced.
53 (12) All greyhound tracks must be maintained in a manner
54 consistent with providing for the safety of racing greyhounds,
55 including, but not limited to:
56 (a) Maintaining a safe track surface at all times pursuant
57 to safety standards adopted by the division.
58 (b) Installing a safety device to remove the lure from the
59 racing surface.
60 (c) Insulating all exposed electrical wires on the track
61 and anywhere at the facility where racing greyhounds may come
62 into contact with electrical wires.
63 (13) The division shall adopt rules providing standards for
64 food served to racing greyhounds at greyhound tracks and kennels
65 which ensure that the health, welfare, and fitness of the racing
66 greyhounds are maintained.
67 (14) The division has exclusive authority to regulate the
68 welfare of racing greyhounds in this state. This subsection
69 expressly preempts such regulation of the welfare of racing
70 greyhounds to the state and supersedes any municipal or county
71 ordinance on the subject.
72 Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2018.