Additional Racing Bill

AB 1838 (Horton, Jerome) Horse racing: workers' compensation. I - 01/22/2004
Status:

02/19/2004 - ASM G.O. Referred to Coms. on G.O. and INS.
Calendar:

Summary:
Existing law sets the amount deducted from the parimutuel pools of thoroughbred races in California. For conventional wagering, that amount is 15% and for exotic wagering, it is 16.75%. Existing law provides for mandatory workers' compensation insurance, and horse owners and horse race operators cannot be granted or keep their licenses unless they have adequate security for workers' compensation, as specified. This bill would make findings and declarations concerning thoroughbred horse racing in California, and the impact of workers' compensation insurance on the health of the California thoroughbred horse racing industry. This bill would mandate a separate deduction of 0.5% from the exotic parimutuel pools of California thoroughbred races at the racing inclosure, at satellite facilities, at betting systems that accept wagers from California residents, and at betting systems that accept wagers on California races from residents of other states, as specified. The additional 0.5% from the pools would be expended by an organization formed pursuant to the bill's provisions to mitigate workers' compensation costs, as specified, with any unexpended funds at the end of a calendar year to be distributed to organizations that fund offsite stabling and related purposes, as specified. The organization formed to distribute these funds would have to account for its finances to the California Horse Racing Board, as specified. This bill contains other related provisions.