Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S229 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2000 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 229
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Paul R. Feeney
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act further regulating thoroughbred breeding.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Paul R. FeeneyBristol and Norfolk 1 of 4
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2000 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 229
18	18	By Mr. Feeney, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 229) of Paul R. Feeney for
19	19	legislation to further regulate thoroughbred breeding. Consumer Protection and Professional
20	20	Licensure.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE SENATE, NO. 167 OF 2023-2024.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
26	26	(2025-2026)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act further regulating thoroughbred breeding.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 Section 2 of Chapter 128 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition,
32	32	2is hereby amended by striking out section (g) and inserting in place thereof the following
33	33	3section:-
34	34	4 (g) Promote, develop and encourage through the Massachusetts thoroughbred breeding
35	35	5program, the breeding of thoroughbred horses by offering cash prizes to breeders of such horses
36	36	6in the following manner: the Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Inc. shall from,
37	37	7time to time, after discussion with the director of racing, set the percentages for: (i) bonuses to be
38	38	8awarded to the breeder of a Massachusetts-bred thoroughbred horse of the purse money won by
39	39	9that thoroughbred horse in a pari-mutuel running horse race if the horse finishes first, second,
40	40	10third, fourth or fifth; (ii) incentives to the owner of the stallion, at the time of service to the dam 2 of 4
41	41	11of such purse winner; provided, however, that (1) the stallion shall have been registered by
42	42	12February 1 and stood the entire breeding season for that year; (2) the horse shall have finished
43	43	13first, second, third, fourth or fifth; and (3) the stallion shall be registered with the Massachusetts
44	44	14Thoroughbred Breeders Association and shall not be registered to stand in any other state that
45	45	15year; and (iii) incentives for the purse monies won by the thoroughbred horse in any unrestricted
46	46	16or restricted pari-mutuel running horse race held within or outside the commonwealth to the
47	47	17owner of a Massachusetts-bred and accredited horse if the horse finishes first, second, third,
48	48	18fourth or fifth.
49	49	19 The Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Inc. may pay incentives for
50	50	20races to be limited to Massachusetts-bred and accredited thoroughbred race horses from the
51	51	21Massachusetts thoroughbred breeding program at licensed pari-mutuel race meetings authorized
52	52	22by the Massachusetts gaming commission and after discussion with the division of racing, and to
53	53	23pay cash incentives to encourage breeding in the commonwealth. Such races may be betting or
54	54	24non-betting races and may be scheduled races by the licensee conducting the racing meeting.
55	55	25Purse monies paid by the association under this section shall be in such amounts as the
56	56	26association shall determine and may be the sole cash purse for such races or may be
57	57	27supplemental to the cash purses established by the licensee; provided, however, that such
58	58	28discretion shall include the discretion to set an overall cap on awards earned.
59	59	29 No person shall be eligible for the prizes provided herein unless:
60	60	30 (i) the foal of a thoroughbred mare that drops the foal in the commonwealth and is bred
61	61	31back to a Massachusetts-registered stallion shall be deemed Massachusetts-bred; 3 of 4
62	62	32 (ii) the foal of a thoroughbred mare who resides in the commonwealth continuously for at
63	63	33least 90 days, including foaling and foals in the commonwealth, is Massachusetts-bred;
64	64	34 (iii) the foal that is raised in the commonwealth for 6 months continuously prior to
65	65	35December 31 of its 2-year-old year is a Massachusetts-accredited horse; or
66	66	36 (iv) in the case of clause (i),(ii) or (iii), each thoroughbred foal dropped or raised in the
67	67	37commonwealth is registered with the Jockey Club and the Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders
68	68	38Association, Inc.; and
69	69	39 (v) prior to the first day of September of each year, each person standing a thoroughbred
70	70	40stallion in the commonwealth at either private or public service shall file with the Massachusetts
71	71	41Thoroughbred Breeders Association: (1) a list of all thoroughbred mares bred to such stallion in
72	72	42that year; and (2) a verified statement representing that the stallion stood the entire breeding
73	73	43season in the commonwealth.
74	74	44 A Massachusetts-accredited thoroughbred shall be eligible for any Massachusetts bred
75	75	45race, except for Massachusetts restricted stakes races. For Massachusetts bred stake races,
76	76	46Massachusetts accredited horses may enter to fill the race after all Massachusetts-bred horses
77	77	47have already been entered in the race. Full race shall be determined by the Massachusetts
78	78	48Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Inc. and the hosting track for the race.
79	79	49 Prior to the first day of September annually, each person raising a weanling or yearling in
80	80	50the commonwealth for 6 months prior to December 31 of the horse’s 2-year-old year shall file
81	81	51with the Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association a verified statement that it is raising
82	82	52the horse in the commonwealth and the location of the horse. 4 of 4
83	83	53 The Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Inc. may pay foaling bonuses to
84	84	54the owner of any mare that foals within the commonwealth. To be eligible for such bonus, prior
85	85	55to foaling, the owner of a mare shall file with the Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders
86	86	56Association a verified statement that the mare is in foal, the expected due date and the location of
87	87	57the mare.
88	88	58 The Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Inc. may expend up to 12 per
89	89	59cent of the amount received each fiscal year for the program for the advertising, marketing,
90	90	60promotion and administration of the thoroughbred breeding program.
91	91	61 The state auditor shall annually audit the books of the Massachusetts Thoroughbred
92	92	62Breeders Association Inc. to ensure compliance with this section.