ENROLLED
2023 Legislature SB 7044
20237044er
1
2 An act relating to changes in ownership of or interest
3 in pari-mutuel permits; amending s. 550.054, F.S.;
4 revising entities authorized to hold pari-mutuel
5 wagering permits and associated licenses; amending s.
6 849.086, F.S.; specifying such entities may hold a
7 license for the operation of a cardroom; amending s.
8 550.01215, F.S.; providing applicability; providing an
9 effective date.
10
11 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
12
13 Section 1. Subsection (15) of section 550.054, Florida
14 Statutes, is amended to read:
15 550.054 Application for permit to conduct pari-mutuel
16 wagering.—
17 (15)(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a
18 permit for the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering and associated
19 cardroom or slot machine licenses may only be held by a
20 permitholder who held an operating license for the conduct of
21 pari-mutuel wagering for fiscal year 2020-2021 or who holds a
22 permit issued pursuant to s. 550.3345 or by a purchaser,
23 transferee, or assignee of a valid permit for the conduct of
24 pari-mutuel wagering if approved by the commission before such
25 purchase, transfer, or assignment and provided that the
26 commission does not approve or issue an additional permit for
27 the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering;
28 (b) All permits issued under this chapter held by
29 permitholders on January 1, 2021, are deemed valid for the sole
30 and exclusive purpose of satisfying all conditions for the valid
31 issuance of the permits, if such permitholder held an operating
32 license for the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering for fiscal year
33 2020-2021 or if such permitholder held a permit issued pursuant
34 to s. 550.3345;
35 (c) Additional permits for the conduct of pari-mutuel
36 wagering may not be approved or issued by the commission or
37 former Division of Pari-mutuel Wagering after January 1, 2021;
38 and
39 (d) A permit to conduct pari-mutuel wagering may not be
40 converted to another class of permit.
41 Section 2. Paragraph (c) of subsection (5) of section
42 849.086, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
43 849.086 Cardrooms authorized.—
44 (5) LICENSE REQUIRED; APPLICATION; FEES.—No person may
45 operate a cardroom in this state unless such person holds a
46 valid cardroom license issued pursuant to this section.
47 (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a pari
48 mutuel permitholder, other than a permitholder issued a permit
49 pursuant to s. 550.3345 or a purchaser, transferee, or assignee
50 holding a valid permit for the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering
51 approved pursuant to s. 550.054(15)(a), may not be issued a
52 license for the operation of a cardroom if the permitholder did
53 not hold an operating license for the conduct of pari-mutuel
54 wagering for fiscal year 2020-2021. In order for an initial
55 cardroom license to be issued to a thoroughbred permitholder
56 issued a permit pursuant to s. 550.3345, the applicant must have
57 requested, as part of its pari-mutuel annual license
58 application, to conduct at least a full schedule of live racing.
59 In order for a cardroom license to be renewed by a thoroughbred
60 permitholder, the applicant must have requested, as part of its
61 pari-mutuel annual license application, to conduct at least 90
62 percent of the total number of live performances conducted by
63 such permitholder during either the state fiscal year in which
64 its initial cardroom license was issued or the state fiscal year
65 immediately prior thereto if the permitholder ran at least a
66 full schedule of live racing or games in the prior year.
67 Section 3. Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of section
68 550.01215, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
69 550.01215 License application; periods of operation;
70 license fees; bond.—
71 (1) Each permitholder shall annually, during the period
72 between December 15 and January 4, file in writing with the
73 commission its application for an operating license for a pari
74 mutuel facility for the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering during
75 the next state fiscal year, including intertrack and simulcast
76 race wagering. Each application for live performances must
77 specify the number, dates, and starting times of all live
78 performances that the permitholder intends to conduct. It must
79 also specify which performances will be conducted as charity or
80 scholarship performances.
81 (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, other than
82 a permitholder issued a permit pursuant to s. 550.3345, a pari
83 mutuel permitholder may not be issued an operating license for
84 the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering, slot machine gaming, or the
85 operation of a cardroom if the permitholder did not hold an
86 operating license for the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering for
87 fiscal year 2020-2021. This paragraph does not apply to a
88 purchaser, transferee, or assignee holding a valid permit for
89 the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering approved pursuant to s.
90 550.054(15)(a).
91 Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.