94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
SB1797

 

Introduced 2/25/2005, by Sen. Michael Jacobs

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
230 ILCS 5/31   from Ch. 8, par. 37-31

    Amends the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the Illinois Standardbred Breeders Fund.


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A BILL FOR

 

SB1797 LRB094 09807 AMC 40063 b

1     AN ACT concerning gaming.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975 is amended
5 by changing Section 31 as follows:
 
6     (230 ILCS 5/31)  (from Ch. 8, par. 37-31)
7     Sec. 31. (a) The The General Assembly declares that it is
8 the policy of this State to encourage the breeding of
9 standardbred horses in this State and the ownership of such
10 horses by residents of this State in order to provide for:
11 sufficient numbers of high quality standardbred horses to
12 participate in harness racing meetings in this State, and to
13 establish and preserve the agricultural and commercial
14 benefits of such breeding and racing industries to the State of
15 Illinois. It is the intent of the General Assembly to further
16 this policy by the provisions of this Section of this Act.
17     (b) Each organization licensee conducting a harness racing
18 meeting pursuant to this Act shall provide for at least two
19 races each race program limited to Illinois conceived and
20 foaled horses. A minimum of 6 races shall be conducted each
21 week limited to Illinois conceived and foaled horses. No horses
22 shall be permitted to start in such races unless duly
23 registered under the rules of the Department of Agriculture.
24     (c) Conditions of races under subsection (b) shall be
25 commensurate with past performance, quality and class of
26 Illinois conceived and foaled horses available. If, however,
27 sufficient competition cannot be had among horses of that class
28 on any day, the races may, with consent of the Board, be
29 eliminated for that day and substitute races provided.
30     (d) There is hereby created a special fund of the State
31 Treasury to be known as the Illinois Standardbred Breeders
32 Fund.

 

 

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1     During the calendar year 1981, and each year thereafter,
2 except as provided in subsection (g) of Section 27 of this Act,
3 eight and one-half per cent of all the monies received by the
4 State as privilege taxes on harness racing meetings shall be
5 paid into the Illinois Standardbred Breeders Fund.
6     (e) The Illinois Standardbred Breeders Fund shall be
7 administered by the Department of Agriculture with the
8 assistance and advice of the Advisory Board created in
9 subsection (f) of this Section.
10     (f) The Illinois Standardbred Breeders Fund Advisory Board
11 is hereby created. The Advisory Board shall consist of the
12 Director of the Department of Agriculture, who shall serve as
13 Chairman; the Superintendent of the Illinois State Fair; a
14 member of the Illinois Racing Board, designated by it; a
15 representative of the Illinois Standardbred Owners and
16 Breeders Association, recommended by it; a representative of
17 the Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs, recommended by
18 it, such representative to be from a fair at which Illinois
19 conceived and foaled racing is conducted; a representative of
20 the organization licensees conducting harness racing meetings,
21 recommended by them and a representative of the Illinois
22 Harness Horsemen's Association, recommended by it. Advisory
23 Board members shall serve for 2 years commencing January 1, of
24 each odd numbered year. If representatives of the Illinois
25 Standardbred Owners and Breeders Associations, the Illinois
26 Association of Agricultural Fairs, the Illinois Harness
27 Horsemen's Association, and the organization licensees
28 conducting harness racing meetings have not been recommended by
29 January 1, of each odd numbered year, the Director of the
30 Department of Agriculture shall make an appointment for the
31 organization failing to so recommend a member of the Advisory
32 Board. Advisory Board members shall receive no compensation for
33 their services as members but shall be reimbursed for all
34 actual and necessary expenses and disbursements incurred in the
35 execution of their official duties.
36     (g) No monies shall be expended from the Illinois

 

 

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1 Standardbred Breeders Fund except as appropriated by the
2 General Assembly. Monies appropriated from the Illinois
3 Standardbred Breeders Fund shall be expended by the Department
4 of Agriculture, with the assistance and advice of the Illinois
5 Standardbred Breeders Fund Advisory Board for the following
6 purposes only:
7         1. To provide purses for races limited to Illinois
8     conceived and foaled horses at the State Fair.
9         2. To provide purses for races limited to Illinois
10     conceived and foaled horses at county fairs.
11         3. To provide purse supplements for races limited to
12     Illinois conceived and foaled horses conducted by
13     associations conducting harness racing meetings.
14         4. No less than 75% of all monies in the Illinois
15     Standardbred Breeders Fund shall be expended for purses in
16     1, 2 and 3 as shown above.
17         5. In the discretion of the Department of Agriculture
18     to provide awards to harness breeders of Illinois conceived
19     and foaled horses which win races conducted by organization
20     licensees conducting harness racing meetings. A breeder is
21     the owner of a mare at the time of conception. No more than
22     10% of all monies appropriated from the Illinois
23     Standardbred Breeders Fund shall be expended for such
24     harness breeders awards. No more than 25% of the amount
25     expended for harness breeders awards shall be expended for
26     expenses incurred in the administration of such harness
27     breeders awards.
28         6. To pay for the improvement of racing facilities
29     located at the State Fair and County fairs.
30         7. To pay the expenses incurred in the administration
31     of the Illinois Standardbred Breeders Fund.
32         8. To promote the sport of harness racing.
33     (h) Whenever the Governor finds that the amount in the
34 Illinois Standardbred Breeders Fund is more than the total of
35 the outstanding appropriations from such fund, the Governor
36 shall notify the State Comptroller and the State Treasurer of

 

 

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1 such fact. The Comptroller and the State Treasurer, upon
2 receipt of such notification, shall transfer such excess amount
3 from the Illinois Standardbred Breeders Fund to the General
4 Revenue Fund.
5     (i) A sum equal to 12 1/2% of the first prize money of
6 every purse won by an Illinois conceived and foaled horse shall
7 be paid by the organization licensee conducting the horse race
8 meeting to the breeder of such winning horse from the
9 organization licensee's share of the money wagered. Such
10 payment shall not reduce any award to the owner of the horse or
11 reduce the taxes payable under this Act. Such payment shall be
12 delivered by the organization licensee at the end of each race
13 meeting.
14     (j) The Department of Agriculture shall, by rule, with the
15 assistance and advice of the Illinois Standardbred Breeders
16 Fund Advisory Board:
17     1. Qualify stallions for Illinois Standardbred Breeders
18 Fund breeding; such stallion shall be owned by a resident of
19 the State of Illinois or by an Illinois corporation all of
20 whose shareholders, directors, officers and incorporators are
21 residents of the State of Illinois. Such stallion shall stand
22 for service at and within the State of Illinois at the time of
23 a foal's conception, and such stallion must not stand for
24 service at any place, nor may semen from such stallion be
25 transported, outside the State of Illinois during that calendar
26 year in which the foal is conceived and that the owner of the
27 stallion was for the 12 months prior, a resident of Illinois.
28 The articles of agreement of any partnership, joint venture,
29 limited partnership, syndicate, association or corporation and
30 any bylaws and stock certificates must contain a restriction
31 that provides that the ownership or transfer of interest by any
32 one of the persons a party to the agreement can only be made to
33 a person who qualifies as an Illinois resident.
34     2. Provide for the registration of Illinois conceived and
35 foaled horses and no such horse shall compete in the races
36 limited to Illinois conceived and foaled horses unless

 

 

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1 registered with the Department of Agriculture. The Department
2 of Agriculture may prescribe such forms as may be necessary to
3 determine the eligibility of such horses. No person shall
4 knowingly prepare or cause preparation of an application for
5 registration of such foals containing false information. A mare
6 (dam) must be in the state at least 30 days prior to foaling or
7 remain in the State at least 30 days at the time of foaling.
8 Beginning with the 1996 breeding season and for foals of 1997
9 and thereafter, a foal conceived by transported fresh semen may
10 be eligible for Illinois conceived and foaled registration
11 provided all breeding and foaling requirements are met. The
12 stallion must be qualified for Illinois Standardbred Breeders
13 Fund breeding at the time of conception and the mare must be
14 inseminated within the State of Illinois. The foal must be
15 dropped in Illinois and properly registered with the Department
16 of Agriculture in accordance with this Act.
17     3. Provide that at least a 5 day racing program shall be
18 conducted at the State Fair each year, which program shall
19 include at least the following races limited to Illinois
20 conceived and foaled horses: (a) a two year old Trot and Pace,
21 and Filly Division of each; (b) a three year old Trot and Pace,
22 and Filly Division of each; (c) an aged Trot and Pace, and Mare
23 Division of each.
24     4. Provide for the payment of nominating, sustaining and
25 starting fees for races promoting the sport of harness racing
26 and for the races to be conducted at the State Fair as provided
27 in subsection (j) 3 of this Section provided that the
28 nominating, sustaining and starting payment required from an
29 entrant shall not exceed 2% of the purse of such race. All
30 nominating, sustaining and starting payments shall be held for
31 the benefit of entrants and shall be paid out as part of the
32 respective purses for such races. Nominating, sustaining and
33 starting fees shall be held in trust accounts for the purposes
34 as set forth in this Act and in accordance with Section 205-15
35 of the Department of Agriculture Law (20 ILCS 205/205-15).
36     5. Provide for the registration with the Department of

 

 

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1 Agriculture of Colt Associations or county fairs desiring to
2 sponsor races at county fairs.
3     (k) The Department of Agriculture, with the advice and
4 assistance of the Illinois Standardbred Breeders Fund Advisory
5 Board, may allocate monies for purse supplements for such
6 races. In determining whether to allocate money and the amount,
7 the Department of Agriculture shall consider factors,
8 including but not limited to, the amount of money appropriated
9 for the Illinois Standardbred Breeders Fund program, the number
10 of races that may occur, and an organizational licensee's purse
11 structure. The organizational licensee shall notify the
12 Department of Agriculture of the conditions and minimum purses
13 for races limited to Illinois conceived and foaled horses to be
14 conducted by each organizational licensee conducting a harness
15 racing meeting for which purse supplements have been
16 negotiated.
17     (l) All races held at county fairs and the State Fair which
18 receive funds from the Illinois Standardbred Breeders Fund
19 shall be conducted in accordance with the rules of the United
20 States Trotting Association unless otherwise modified by the
21 Department of Agriculture.
22     (m) At all standardbred race meetings held or conducted
23 under authority of a license granted by the Board, and at all
24 standardbred races held at county fairs which are approved by
25 the Department of Agriculture or at the Illinois or DuQuoin
26 State Fairs, no one shall jog, train, warm up or drive a
27 standardbred horse unless he or she is wearing a protective
28 safety helmet, with the chin strap fastened and in place, which
29 meets the standards and requirements as set forth in the 1984
30 Standard for Protective Headgear for Use in Harness Racing and
31 Other Equestrian Sports published by the Snell Memorial
32 Foundation, or any standards and requirements for headgear the
33 Illinois Racing Board may approve. Any other standards and
34 requirements so approved by the Board shall equal or exceed
35 those published by the Snell Memorial Foundation. Any
36 equestrian helmet bearing the Snell label shall be deemed to

 

 

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1 have met those standards and requirements.
2 (Source: P.A. 91-239, eff. 1-1-00.)