HB 275 2023
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to pari -mutuel wagering; amending s. 2
550.01215, F.S.; prohibiting greyhound racing 3
permitholders from conducting live greyhound racing or 4
dogracing; requiring a thoroughbred permitholder to 5
conduct live thoroughbred racing; authorizing 6
specified permitholders to elect to conduct live 7
harness horse racing; providing construction; 8
authorizing the Florida Gaming Control Commission to 9
approve certain changes to operating dates; providing 10
an effective date. 11
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 13
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Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) and subsection 15
(3) of section 550.01215, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 16
550.01215 License application; periods of operation; 17
license fees; bond.— 18
(1) Each permitholder shall annually, during the period 19
between December 15 and January 4, file in writing with the 20
commission its application for an operating license for a pari -21
mutuel facility for the conduct of pari -mutuel wagering during 22
the next state fiscal year, including intertrack and simulcast 23
race wagering. Each application for live performances must 24
specify the number, dates, and starting times of all live 25
HB 275 2023
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
performances that the permitholder intends to conduct. It must 26
also specify which performances will be conducted as charity or 27
scholarship performances. 28
(b)1. A greyhound permitholder may not conduct live 29
greyhound racing or dogracing. A jai alai permitholder, harness 30
horse racing permitholder, or quarter horse racing permitholder 31
may elect not to conduct live racing or games. A thoroughbred 32
permitholder must conduct live thoroughbred racing. A greyhound 33
permitholder, jai alai permitholder, harness horse racing 34
permitholder, or quarter horse racing permitholder that does not 35
conduct live racing or games retains its permit; is a pari -36
mutuel facility as defined in s. 550.002(22); if such 37
permitholder has been issued a slot machine license, the 38
facility where such permit i s located remains an eligible 39
facility as defined in s. 551.102(4), continues to be eligible 40
for a slot machine license pursuant to s. 551.104(3), and is 41
exempt from ss. 551.104(4)(c) and (10) and 551.114(2); is 42
eligible, but not required, to be a guest tr ack and, if the 43
permitholder is a harness horse racing permitholder, to be a 44
host track for purposes of intertrack wagering and simulcasting 45
pursuant to ss. 550.3551, 550.615, 550.625, and 550.6305; and 46
remains eligible for a cardroom license. 47
2. A permitholder or licensee may not conduct live 48
greyhound racing or dogracing in connection with any wager for 49
money or any other thing of value in the state. The commission 50
HB 275 2023
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
may deny, suspend, or revoke any permit or license under this 51
chapter if a permitholder o r licensee conducts live greyhound 52
racing or dogracing in violation of this subparagraph. In 53
addition to, or in lieu of, denial, suspension, or revocation of 54
such permit or license, the commission may impose a civil 55
penalty of up to $5,000 against the perm itholder or licensee for 56
a violation of this subparagraph. All penalties imposed and 57
collected must be deposited with the Chief Financial Officer to 58
the credit of the General Revenue Fund. 59
3. A greyhound permitholder, jai alai permitholder, 60
thoroughbred permitholder, or quarter horse racing permitholder 61
that held such permit during the 2020 -2021 operating year may 62
elect to conduct live harness horse racing. Authorization to 63
conduct harness horse racing pursuant to this chapter may only 64
be granted to a permitholder that held an operating license to 65
conduct pari-mutuel wagering for fiscal year 2020 -2021 or that 66
holds a permit issued pursuant to s. 550.3345. However, such 67
election to conduct harness horse racing does not entitle such 68
permitholder to receive a n additional, or other type of, permit. 69
Live harness horse racing may only be conducted pursuant to this 70
chapter if such permitholder qualifies to retain the greyhound 71
permit, jai alai permit, thoroughbred permit, or quarter horse 72
racing permit held during the 2020-2021 operating year. 73
Authorization granted to conduct harness horse racing to a 74
permitholder other than a harness horse racing permitholder is 75
HB 275 2023
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
not considered the granting or issuance of a permit or license, 76
or a conversion of such permit, but is merely considered an 77
additional benefit of holding a greyhound permit, jai alai 78
permit, thoroughbred permit, or quarter horse racing permit 79
issued pursuant to s. 550.3345. 80
(3) The commission shall issue each license no later than 81
March 15. Each permithol der shall operate all performances at 82
the date and time specified on its license. The commission shall 83
have the authority to approve minor changes in racing dates 84
after a license has been issued. The commission may approve 85
changes in racing dates after a l icense has been issued when 86
there is no objection from any operating permitholder that is 87
conducting live racing or games and that is located within 50 88
miles of the permitholder requesting the changes in operating 89
dates. In the event of an objection, the c ommission shall 90
approve or disapprove the change in operating dates based upon 91
the impact on operating permitholders located within 50 miles of 92
the permitholder requesting the change in operating dates. In 93
making the determination to change racing dates, t he commission 94
shall take into consideration the impact of such changes on 95
state revenues. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and 96
for fiscal year 2023 -2024 only, the commission may approve 97
changes to operating dates to allow a greyhound racing 98
permitholder, jai alai permitholder, harness horse racing 99
permitholder, quarter horse racing permitholder, or thoroughbred 100
HB 275 2023
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
racing permitholder to conduct live harness horse racing if the 101
request for such changes is received before October 1, 2023. 102
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 103