Title: Pari-mutuel Licensing

Summary: Replacing the use of the term "racing dates" with "its current meet dates"; expanding the entitlement of pari-mutuel permitholders to lease any and all of their facilities to any holder of a valid pari-mutuel permit, etc.

Full Text:
An act relating to pari-mutuel licensing; amending s. 550.01215, F.S.; replacing the use of the term  racing dates  with  its current meet dates ; amending s. 550.475, F.S.; expanding the entitlement of pari mutuel permitholders to lease any and all of their facilities to any holder of a valid pari-mutuel permit; reenacting ss. 550.054(14)(b) and 550.615(8), F.S., relating to application for a permit to conduct pari-mutuel wagering and intertrack wagering, respectively, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 550.475, F.S., in references thereto; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Subsection (3) of section 550.01215, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 550.01215 License application; periods of operation; license fees; bond.  (3) The commission shall issue each license no later than March 15. Each permitholder shall operate all performances at the date and time specified on its license. The commission shall have the authority to approve minor changes in its current meet racing dates after a license has been issued. The commission may approve changes in its current meet racing dates after a license has been issued when there is no objection from any operating permitholder that is conducting live racing or games and that is located within miles of the permitholder requesting the changes in operating dates. In the event of an objection, the commission shall approve or disapprove the change in operating dates based upon the impact on operating permitholders located within miles of the permitholder requesting the change in operating dates. In making the determination to change its current meet racing dates, the commission shall take into consideration the impact of such changes on state revenues. Section 2. Section 550.475, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 550.475 Lease of pari-mutuel facilities by pari-mutuel permitholders. Holders of valid pari-mutuel permits for the conduct of any pari-mutuel wagering in this state are entitled to lease any and all of their facilities to any other holder of a same class valid pari-mutuel permit, when located within a mile radius of each other; and such lessee is entitled to a permit and license to conduct intertrack wagering and operate its race meet or jai alai games at the leased premises. Section 3. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment made by this act to section 550.475, Florida Statutes, in a reference thereto, paragraph (b) of subsection (14) of section 550.054, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read: 550.054 Application for permit to conduct pari-mutuel wagering.  (14) (b) The commission, upon application from the holder of a jai alai permit meeting all conditions of this section, shall convert the permit and shall issue to the permitholder a permit to conduct greyhound racing. A permitholder of a permit converted under this section shall be required to apply for and conduct a full schedule of live racing each fiscal year to be eligible for any tax credit provided by this chapter. The holder of a permit converted pursuant to this subsection or any holder of a permit to conduct greyhound racing located in a county in which it is the only permit issued pursuant to this section who operates at a leased facility pursuant to s. 550.475 may move the location for which the permit has been issued to another location within a 30-mile radius of the location fixed in the permit issued in that county, provided the move does not cross the county boundary and such location is approved under the zoning regulations of the county or municipality in which the permit is located, and upon such relocation may use the permit for the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering and the operation of a cardroom. The provisions of s. 550.6305(9)(d) and (f) shall apply to any permit converted under this subsection and shall continue to apply to any permit which was previously included under and subject to such provisions before a conversion pursuant to this section occurred. Section 4. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment made by this act to section 550.475, Florida Statutes, in a reference thereto, subsection (8) of section 550.615, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read: 550.615 Intertrack wagering.  (8) In any three contiguous counties of the state where there are only three permitholders, all of which are greyhound permitholders, if any permitholder leases the facility of another permitholder for all or any portion of the conduct of its live race meet pursuant to s. 550.475, such lessee may conduct intertrack wagering at its pre-lease permitted facility throughout the entire year. Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.