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Who cares
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Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 42
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to racing, gaming and wagering
- Referred to rules
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Relates to harness racing
In Assembly Committee · Racing And Wagering · Sponsor J. Gary Pretlow
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S5920 REVISED MEMO 01/14/14
Title of bill
An act to amend the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, in relation to harness racing
Purpose
To allow competition and wagering on "racing under saddle" at standardbred harness racetracks.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Amends subdivision 3 of section 301 of the Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding law to permit a mounted rider as an acceptable form of standardbred harness racing.
Section 2: Effective date.
Justification
Under current law, the definition of harness racing limits the racing of this very specific and unique breed of horse (standardbred a/kla harness horse) to racing attached to "a sulky, carriage or similar vehicle" and effectively prohibits the practice of "racing under saddle" with a mounted rider.
A promotional event, where no purse money was awarded, was held at Yonkers Raceway in 2010. While the Yonkers exhibition created interest and excitement in this new form of racing, it has remained a novelty with unrealized potential because of the inability to pay purses. Permitting "racing under saddle" at New York State harness tracks could have significant benefits for the racing industry, and therefore, for the entire state.
This proposal would specifically limit such racing at harness tracks only to registered standardbred horses (and only at a trot or a pace). Such changes would allow licensed harness tracks to conduct either harness races or "racing under saddle" races, and would allow wagers to be made and purses to be paid under the same regulatory guidelines currently in place for the conduct of harness races.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None to state.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.