PRINTER'S NO. 1112
No. 989 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY SALVATORE, BRIGHTBILL, LEMMOND, COSTA, BELL,
AFFLERBACH, FUMO AND HUGHES, MAY 28, 1997
REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, MAY 28, 1997
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of December 17, 1981 (P.L.435, No.135),
2 entitled "An act providing for the regulation of pari-mutuel
3 thoroughbred horse racing and harness horse racing
4 activities; imposing certain taxes and providing for the
5 disposition of funds from pari-mutuel tickets," further
6 providing for distribution of moneys retained from pari-
7 mutuel pools and for interstate simulcasting of horse races.
8 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
9 hereby enacts as follows:
10 Section 1. Section 216 of the act of December 17, 1981
11 (P.L.435, No.135), known as the Race Horse Industry Reform Act,
12 amended December 21, 1984 (P.L.1225, No.232), is amended to
13 read:
14 Section 216. Interstate simulcastings of horse races.
15 Each commission may, upon request by any licensed
16 corporation, grant permission for [electronically] televised
17 simulcasts of horse races to be [operated] received by the
18 licensed corporation at the race track enclosure. [where a horse
19 race meeting is being conducted during, between, before or after
20 posted races for that racing day. The posted races for that
1 racing day shall include a minimum of eight live races, except,
2 at thoroughbred tracks on the one day designated as Breeders'
3 Cup Event Day, there shall be a minimum of five live races.] The
4 simulcasts shall be limited to horse races conducted at
5 facilities outside this Commonwealth and televised to race track
6 enclosures within this Commonwealth. [The simulcasts shall also
7 be limited to thoroughbred races designated as Grade I stakes,
8 or the international equivalent thereto, with purses of at least
9 $100,000; standard bred races with purses of at least $100,000;
10 and other stakes races which have, in the opinion of the
11 appropriate commission, significant value to the Pennsylvania
12 racing industry.] The simulcasts shall also be limited to
13 licensed corporations that have scheduled at least 90% of the
14 live racing dates conducted in 1989. Cross simulcasting of the
15 aforementioned races shall be permitted as long as the
16 particular race is available to all race [tracks] track
17 enclosures in [the] this Commonwealth [which are operating live
18 racing that day]. All simulcasts of horse races from outside
19 this Commonwealth shall also comply with the provisions of the
20 Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978, 92 Stat. 1811, 15 USC 3001
21 et seq. All forms of pari-mutuel wagering as described under
22 section 221 shall be allowed on horse races to be televised by
23 simulcasting. Each commission may permit pari-mutuel pools in
24 this Commonwealth to be combined with pari-mutuel pools created
25 under the law of another jurisdiction. Each commission may
26 promulgate rules or regulations to regulate the wagering and the
27 operation of these horse races. All moneys wagered by patrons on
28 these horse races shall be computed in the amount of money
29 wagered each racing day for purposes of taxation under section
30 222.
19970S0989B1112 - 2 -
1 Section 2. Section 222(b) of the act, amended December 30,
2 1983 (P.L.400, No.93), is amended to read:
3 Section 222. Distribution of moneys retained from pari-mutuel
4 pools; taxation.
5 * * *
6 (b) The commissions shall distribute moneys from the State
7 Racing Fund, together with the interest earned thereon, in the
8 following manner:
9 (1) The salaries of employees of the commission employed
10 by or for it under the provisions of this act and the act of
11 April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as "The Administrative
12 Code of 1929," net of any income earned or received by the
13 commission.
14 (2) The payment of the compensation of employees of the
15 Department of Revenue when used in collecting taxes and
16 penalties imposed by this act.
17 (3) The expenses of the Secretary and the Department of
18 Agriculture incurred in administering their duties under this
19 act.
20 (4) To pay all other expenses incurred by the commission
21 in administering this act, net of any income earned or
22 received by the commission.
23 (5) From remaining moneys in the State Racing Fund:
24 (i) An amount equivalent to seven-tenths of one
25 percent of the amount wagered each racing day at
26 thoroughbred horse race meetings shall be paid by the
27 Horse Racing Commission from the State Racing Fund
28 through the Department of Revenue for credit to the
29 Pennsylvania Breeding Fund, beginning on July 1, 1983.
30 (ii) An amount equivalent to one and one-half
19970S0989B1112 - 3 -
1 percent of the amount wagered each racing day at harness
2 horse race meetings shall be paid by the Harness Racing
3 Commission from the State Racing Fund through the
4 Department of Revenue for credit to the Pennsylvania Sire
5 Stakes Fund, beginning on July 1, 1983.
6 (iii) An amount equal to one-tenth of one percent of
7 the amount wagered each racing day at thoroughbred horse
8 race meetings and at nonprimary locations shall be
9 allocated by the State Horse Racing Commission for:
10 (A) Treatment and rehabilitation of persons
11 addicted to excessive gambling.
12 (B) Promotion of education, prevention and early
13 intervention programs to eliminate addiction to
14 gambling and to secure appropriate treatment for
15 persons already addicted.
16 (C) Study of the problems of addiction.
17 (D) Establishment of support services such as
18 consultative education, rehabilitative or other
19 related services to assist in the prevention and
20 rehabilitation of compulsive or excessive gambling as
21 an addiction.
22 The Department of Health shall use the funds provided
23 under this subparagraph to support and encourage existing
24 nongovernmental programs in fulfilling the purposes of
25 this section by grant, contract or other mechanism
26 utilizing new and existing private-sector providers
27 rather than establishing additional government programs
28 and offices.
29 (6) All remaining moneys in the State Racing Fund shall
30 be paid into the General Fund.
19970S0989B1112 - 4 -
1 * * *
2 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
B20L04JRW/19970S0989B1112 - 5 -