SLS 15RS-131 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 135
BY SENATOR PEACOCK
HORSE RACING. Provides for the number of live racing days at eligible facilities located
in Bossier Parish. (8/1/15)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 4:214.1(C), relative to horse racing at eligible facilities in Bossier Parish; to
3 provide for the minimum number of live racing days; to provide for exceptions; and
4 to provide for related matters.
5 Notice of intention to introduce this Act has been published.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 4:214.1(C) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 ยง214.1. Minimum live racing dates; offtrack and other authorized wagering
9 * * *
10 C. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, an association
11 that owns a pari-mutual wagering facility in Bossier Parish shall not be licensed
12 to conduct offtrack or other authorized wagering in the state unless it conducts
13 live horse racing for not less than sixty-five racing days at its eligible facilities
14 located in Bossier Parish. The association shall determine, with approval of the
15 commission, the actual number of racing days within a certain time period for
16 both thoroughbred races and quarter horse races to be conducted within the
17 sixty-five racing days. The minimum racing requirements contained in this
Page 1 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 135
SLS 15RS-131 ORIGINAL
1 Subsection shall be mandatory unless the association is prevented from live
2 racing as a result of a natural disaster, an act of God, force majeure, a
3 catastrophe, or such other occurrence over which the association has no control.
4 When a pari-mutual wagering facility and a related offtrack betting facility are
5 sold, the purchaser shall conduct the minimum number of live racing days
6 required by this Subsection as a condition of operating the offtrack betting
7 facility.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Cathy Wells.
DIGEST
SB 135 Original 2015 Regular Session Peacock
Present law, relative to live horse racing, prohibits an association from conducting offtrack
wagering in Louisiana unless it conducts live horse racing for at least 130 racing days within
each 52-week period.
Present law further provides that the required minimum racing days shall be not less than 84
thoroughbred horse racing days conducted during 21 consecutive weeks and not less than
46 quarter horse racing days conducted during 12 consecutive weeks. At any facility where
the purse revenue derived from slot machines is limited by law to a certain expressly stated
number of slot machines, then the facility shall, over a 52-week period, maintain at least 80
thoroughbred horse racing days conducted during 20 consecutive weeks and at least 10
quarter horse racing days conducted during three consecutive weeks.
Proposed law provides that notwithstanding any provision of present law to the contrary,
eligible facilities located in Bossier Parish are required to conduct live horse racing for not
less than 65 racing days. Proposed law requires the association to determine, with approval
of the commission, the actual number of racing days for thoroughbred and quarter horses to
be conducted within the sixty-five racing days.
Present law provides for exceptions to mandatory racing days for natural disasters, acts of
God, force majeure, a catastrophe, or other such occurrence over which the association has
no control.
Proposed law retains present law exceptions to mandatory racing days.
Present law provides if the pari-mutual wagering facility and related offtrack betting facility
are sold, the purchaser is required to conduct the minimum number of live racing days as a
condition of operating the offtrack betting (OTB) facility.
Proposed law retains prior law relative to sale of the facility.
Effective August 1, 2015.
(Adds R.S. 4:214.1(C))
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.