2018 Regular Session ENROLLED SENATE BILL NO. 525 BY SENATOR LAFLEUR 1 AN ACT 2 To amend and reenact R.S. 4:183(B)(introductory paragraph) and (3), 214.1(B), and R.S. 3 27:372(A) and to enact R.S. 4:147.1(D) and R.S. 27:372(C), relative to horse racing; 4 to provide for the duties and powers of the Louisiana State Racing Commission; to 5 provide relative to purse monies for horse races; to provide relative to net slot 6 machine proceeds received for purses; to provide relative to thoroughbred horse 7 racing; to provide relative to eligible facilities; to provide relative to the transfer of 8 slot machine proceeds from one eligible facility to another; to provide for a 9 maximum number of gaming positions authorized within the designated gaming 10 area; to provide for exceptions; to provide for contingent effectiveness; and to 11 provide for related matters. 12 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana: 13 Section 1. R.S. 4:147.1(D) is hereby enacted to read as follows: 14 §147.1. Commission; purse supplements; additional or substitute races and race 15 days; force majeure 16 * * * 17 D. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary and upon 18 agreement of the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and the 19 involved licensed eligible facilities, the commission may approve the transfer of 20 slot machine proceeds received for thoroughbred race purses from one licensed 21 eligible facility to another licensed eligible facility to supplement thoroughbred 22 purses at a thoroughbred race meet. Funds transferred pursuant to this 23 Subsection shall be awarded within one year of the date of transfer. 24 Section 2. R.S. 4:183(B)(introductory paragraph) and (3) and 214.1(B) are hereby 25 amended and reenacted to read as follows: 26 §183. Contracts between licensees and permittees licensed to race horses at race ACT No. 575 Page 1 of 4 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 525 ENROLLED 1 meetings conducted in the state 2 * * * 3 B. Monies due as purses to persons licensed to race horses at race meetings 4 conducted in the state as a result of conditions outlined in R.S. 4:183(A) Subsection 5 A of this Section and the monies due to the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective 6 Association pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 4:183(A)(4)(b) Subparagraph 7 (A)(4)(b) of this Section shall be allocated and distributed during the race meeting 8 at which earned. 9 * * * 10 (3) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, the 11 provisions of this Paragraph shall only apply only to thoroughbred race meetings at 12 any facility where the purse revenue derived from slot machines is limited by law to 13 a certain expressly stated number of slot machines subject to the provisions of R.S. 14 27:372.1(A). For such facilities, in the event the amount distributed as purses to 15 persons licensed to race horses at thoroughbred race meetings conducted in the state 16 is less than the amount required by Subsection A of this Section, and more than an 17 amount equal to two times the average daily purse distribution at the race meeting 18 at which such amount is generated, it shall be delivered to the Horsemen's 19 Benevolent and Protective Association for further distribution to persons having 20 earned monies during the meeting, in the direct proportion that the underpayment is 21 to the monies earned by that person at that meeting. In the event the underpayment 22 is less than an amount equal to two times the average daily purse distribution at that 23 meeting, it shall be retained by the association in an interest-bearing account to be 24 used for purses at the next thoroughbred race meeting conducted by that association. 25 Interest earned on the account shall be added to the purse paid over and above the 26 amount required to be paid as purses by Subsection A of this Section. 27 * * * 28 §214.1. Minimum live racing dates; offtrack and other authorized wagering 29 * * * 30 B. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, at any facility Page 2 of 4 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 525 ENROLLED 1 where the purse revenue derived from slot machines is limited by law to a certain 2 expressly stated number of slot machines subject to the provisions of R.S. 3 27:372.1(A), such facility shall maintain a minimum of eighty thoroughbred horse 4 racing days conducted during twenty consecutive weeks and not less than ten days 5 of quarter horse racing conducted during three consecutive weeks. The racing days 6 provided for in this Subsection shall be conducted within a fifty-two week period. 7 The foregoing minimum racing requirements are mandatory unless the association 8 is prevented from live racing as a result of a natural disaster, an act of God, force 9 majeure, a catastrophe, or such other occurrence over which the association has no 10 control. When a pari-mutuel wagering facility and a related offtrack betting facility 11 are sold, the purchaser shall conduct the minimum number of live racing days, 12 including the minimum quarter horse racing days, required by this Section as a 13 condition of operating the offtrack betting facility. 14 Section 3. R.S. 27:372(A) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 27:372(C) is 15 hereby enacted to read as follows. 16 §372. Slot machine gaming area limitations 17 A. The size of the designated gaming area in an eligible facility shall not 18 exceed fifteen thousand square feet contain more than one thousand six hundred 19 thirty-two gaming positions. 20 * * * 21 C. As used in this Section, "gaming position" means a slot machine seat. 22 Each slot machine seat shall be counted as one position, subject to the rules and 23 regulations of the board. The board shall specifically provide by rule for the 24 counting of gaming positions for devices and games where seats and spaces are 25 not readily countable. 26 Section 4. The provisions of Sections 2 and 3 of this Act shall become effective if 27 and when the Act which originated as SB No. 316 of the 2018 Regular Session of the 28 Legislature is enacted by the legislature and is signed by the governor; becomes law without 29 signature by the governor pursuant to Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana; 30 or is vetoed by the governor but subsequently approved by the legislature. Page 3 of 4 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 525 ENROLLED 1 Section 5. This Section and Sections 1 and 4 of this Act shall become effective upon 2 signature by the governor or, if not signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for 3 bills to become law without signature by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 4 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved 5 by the legislature, this Act shall become effective on the day following such approval. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA APPROVED: Page 4 of 4 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions.