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2020 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 120
BY SENATOR SMITH
HORSE RACING. Requires that three members of the Louisiana State Racing Commission
be affiliated with the horse racing industry. (8/1/20)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 4:144(B), relative to the Louisiana State Racing Commission;
3 to require that three members of the commission be owners of racehorses; and to
4 provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 4:144(B) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
7 ยง144. Louisiana State Racing Commission; creation; membership; tenure; powers
8 and duties; quorum; qualification of members; per diem; expenses
9 and disbursements; bond; prohibited interest
10 * * *
11 B.(1) Members shall be residents of Louisiana, over the age of thirty, and
12 shall possess good moral character. Each shall have resided in Louisiana for at least
13 five years immediately preceding his appointment.
14 (2)(a) No member shall be an official, member of any board of directors, or
15 person financially interested in any race track or race meeting licensed by the
16 commission. No Except as provided in Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph, no
17 member may directly or indirectly own racehorses which participate in any race
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 120
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1 meeting licensed by the commission.
2 (b) Three members shall be owners of racehorses, which participate in
3 any race meeting licensed by the commission.
4 (3) The commission shall provide by rule for investigation and resolution of
5 alleged violation of Paragraph (2) of this Subsection. Such These rules shall include
6 the suspension of the board member pending conclusion of the investigation and
7 removal of the member in the event of a violation. Any member removed as a result
8 of a violation of Paragraph (2) of this Subsection shall not be eligible for
9 reappointment for a period of five years.
10 (4) Nothing in this Subsection shall prohibit a member of the Louisiana State
11 Racing Commission from owning a horse that sired or bred a racehorse that
12 participates in a race meeting licensed by the commission, or from participating in
13 a breeder or stallion award, provided the member does not have an ownership
14 interest in the racehorse that competed in the race meeting at the time of the meeting.
15 * * *
The original instrument was prepared by Thomas L. Tyler. The following
digest, which does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was
prepared by Alan Miller.
DIGEST
SB 120 Engrossed 2020 Regular Session Smith
Present law provides that the Louisiana State Racing Commission shall be composed of 13
members appointed by the governor.
Present law prohibits any member of the Louisiana State Racing Commission from being
an official, member of any board of directors, or person financially interested in any race
track or race meeting licensed by the commission. Prohibits any member from directly or
indirectly owning racehorses which participate in any race meeting licensed by the
commission.
Proposed law retains this prohibition but provides an exception that three members of the
commission be owners of racehorses.
Effective August 1, 2020.
(Amends R.S. 4:144(B))
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Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Judiciary B to the
original bill
1. Changes from proposing that three members of the commission be affiliated
with the horse racing industry to three members of the commission be owners
of race horses.
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.