What's happening
This bill creates a commission to oversee, track, and report on retired racehorses in New York, including establishing a registry and penalties for noncompliance.
Why it matters
Creates a formal oversight body with diverse expertise. The new commission will include members representing standardbred and thoroughbred breeders, as well as professionals in retraining, rural economic uses, and therapeutic/recreational horse activities. This diversity ensures that retired racehorses' welfare is considered from multiple practical perspectives, not just racing.
Establishes a mandatory tracking system for retired racehorses. By requiring owners to report changes in ownership and deaths, and by creating a state registry, the bill aims to close the accountability gap that often leaves retired racehorses vulnerable to neglect, abandonment, or slaughter.
Enables data-driven policy and public transparency. With quarterly public reports and recommendations on horse welfare, the commission can spotlight problems, propose solutions, and provide actionable data to policymakers and the public—potentially influencing broader animal welfare standards.
Introduces enforceable penalties for non-compliance. The bill imposes civil penalties on owners who fail to report as required, providing a tangible incentive to participate in the registry and ensuring that the system has real consequences for neglect.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create Racehorse Retirement Commission
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Print number 1974b
- Amend and recommit to racing, gaming and wagering
- Referred to racing, gaming and wagering
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.337
- Substituted for A3535A
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 56–5
- Amended on third reading 1974a
- Advanced to third reading
Show 3 earlier actions
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.231
- Referred to racing, gaming and wagering
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.
Create Retired Racehorse Commission
In Senate Committee · Rules · Sponsor J. Gary Pretlow
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1974--B
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 18, 2019
Introduced by Sens. ADDABBO, GAUGHRAN, MARTINEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first and second report, ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading -- recommitted to the Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, in relation to establishing the commission on retired racehorses
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law is amended by adding a new article 7-A to read as follows:
ARTICLE 7-A
COMMISSION ON RETIRED RACEHORSES Section 710. Commission on retired racehorses.
711. Powers and duties of commission.
712. Reports on retired racehorses.
§ 710. Commission on retired racehorses. 1. There is hereby established a commission on retired racehorses. Such commission on retired racehorses shall consist of seven members, three of whom shall be appointed by the governor, two of whom shall be appointed by the temporary president of the senate and two of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly. Of the three members appointed by the governor, two shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the gaming commission. One of the appointed members of the commission on retired racehorses shall be representative of owners and breeders of standardbred horses and one shall be representative of owners and breeders of thoroughbred horses. Three of the appointed members of the commission on retired
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06983-08-0
S. 1974--B 2
racehorses shall be representative of: (a) persons with expertise in training horses for uses other than racing, such as riding schools, steeplechase competitions, show horse competitions (e.g., dressage, hunter/jumper, English, Western, and costume competitions), and other recreational uses, (b) persons with experience in the potential farm or other rural economic business applications for horses, and (c) persons familiar with the use of horses for recreational or therapeutic uses.
2. The members of the commission on retired racehorses shall serve for terms of four years each.
3. Every member of the commission on retired racehorses shall serve at the pleasure of the official who appointed him or her. Vacancies in the membership of such commission shall be filled in the manner provided for original appointments.
4. The members of the commission on retired racehorses shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to this section.
§ 711. Powers and duties of commission. 1. The commission on retired racehorses, in cooperation with the gaming commission, shall be responsible for the oversight of retired racehorses, including the tracking of such racehorses. For the purposes of this article, a retired racehorse shall mean (a) a New York-bred thoroughbred as defined by subdivision three of section two hundred fifty-one of this chapter which is no longer engaged in horseracing or (b) a standardbred which meets or ever met the standards set forth in subdivision one of section three hundred thirty-four of this chapter and which is no longer engaged in horse racing.
2. The commission on retired racehorses, in cooperation with the gaming commission, shall be responsible for the creation of a registry which would track retired racehorses in New York state. Such registry shall include information provided by each owner and subsequent owner of a retired racehorse, as provided in section seven hundred twelve of this article. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the commission on retired racehorses shall maintain and update this registry. The commission on retired racehorses may access any relevant information in the registries designated and administered by the New York state thoroughbred breeding and development fund and the agriculture and New York state horse breeding development fund to facilitate the implementation of this article.
3. The commission on retired racehorses shall work with the gaming commission to identify methods by which the information in the retired racehorse registry may be utilized to address the well-being and/or employment of retired racehorses, including but not limited to strategies to address the issue of abandoned racehorses and to prevent the slaughter of retired racehorses. The commission on retired racehorses shall also furnish related future recommendations regarding the funding, care and treatment of retired racehorses. Such recommendations and relevant data that support such recommendations shall be submitted to the gaming commission for publication on their website.
4. The commission on retired racehorses shall work with the gaming commission to publish on the gaming commission website at least quarterly, in such forms as the gaming commission may deem proper, a report of aggregate data from the retired racehorse registry including the number of retired racehorses and any other information which the gaming commission may deem proper. Such report shall also include information on how
S. 1974--B 3
to report violations as provided in subdivision three of section seven hundred twelve of this article to the commission on retired racehorses.
5. The commission on retired racehorses shall share with the gaming commission any suspected violations as provided in subdivision three of section seven hundred twelve of this article at a time and in a manner to be determined and prescribed by the gaming commission for the purpose of assessing civil penalties.
§ 712. Reports on retired racehorses. 1. Within seventy-two hours after any change in ownership regarding a retired racehorse, boarded in New York state during any part of the calendar year, the new owner or owners of the horse shall report to the commission on retired racehorses that such ownership has changed and shall file a statement listing the name or names of the previous owner or owners and the license number of any license issued by the gaming commission to the previous owner or owners, the name or names, telephone number or telephone numbers and address or addresses of the new owner or owners, the license number of any license issued by the gaming commission to the new owner or owners, the tattoo number of such horse and any other information which the commission on retired racehorses may require. In the event that there are multiple owners of a retired racehorse, one designated owner may register on behalf of all owners.
2. Within seventy-two hours after the death of a retired racehorse, the owner or owners of the horse shall report such death to the commission on retired racehorses and shall file a statement including a death certificate by a licensed veterinarian and any other information which the commission on retired racehorses may require.
3. Any sole or joint owner of a retired racehorse who is a resident of the state and who fails to file a statement required to be filed by this section shall be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars for each violation.
§ 2. Severability. If any clause, sentence, subdivision, paragraph, section or part of this act be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgement shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, subdivision, paragraph, section or part thereof directly involved in the controversy in which such judgement shall have been rendered.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on April 1, 2021.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, in relation to establishing the commission on retired racehorses
Purpose
The purpose of the commission is to monitor the whereabouts and treat- ment of retired racehorses to further prevent the illegal transport of horses into the inhumane international slaughter industry.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1. The racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law is amended by adding a new article 7A.
Section 2. Effective date.
Summary
OF AMENDMENTS:
Amendments were made to clarify reporting requirements, the responsibil- ities of owners to report to the database of retired racehorses, and to establish an effective date of April 1, 2021.
Justification
Horses have played a significant role in the history and culture of the United States; more specifically, horses in the racing industry have generated billions of dollars for the state of New York. Despite what they may have contributed, many horses at a young age which are no long- er profitable or affordable for the owner wind up in international slaughterhouses to be inhumanely slaughtered for consumption abroad where horse meat is a major delicacy. In addition to horse slaughter being a huge breach in proper and ethical treatment of animals, this serves as a significant food safety issue for humans considering that the majority of horses are administered drugs and medications that are not meant for any animal intended for human consumption. This legis- lation will implement a commission with the intention to ensure the proper treatment of the horses following their racing career and to further prevent the illegal transport of horses to slaughterhouses.
Legislative history
2017: S. 6910 - Referred to Senate Rules.
2018: S. 6910 - Referred to Senate, Racing, Gaming and Wagering Commit- tee.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.