An Act To Preserve Agricultural Fairs in Rural Maine
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 0924
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: LUNDEEN, MARTIN, EDGECOMB, FISCHER, JACKSON, MAREAN, SUTHERLAND, THERIAULT, NUTTING, SHERMAN
Amends: 8 MRSA §298

Legislative Document 
No. 924 
H.P.699 
House of Representatives, March 1, 2007 
An Act To Preserve Agricultural Fairs in Rural Maine 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative LUNDEEN of Mars Hill. 
Cosponsored by Senator MARTIN of Aroostook and 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: EDGECOMB of Caribou, FISCHER of Presque Isle, JACKSON of Allagash, 
MAREAN of Hollis, SUTHERLAND of Chapman, THERIAULT of Madawaska, Senators: 
NUTTING of Androscoggin, SHERMAN of Aroostook. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, it is imperative that this legislation take effect immediately so that 
agricultural fairs may share in the revenues generated by the racino this fair season; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 8 MRSA §298, sub-§2, as repealed and replaced by PL 2005, c. 563, §9 
and by c. 576, § 1, is repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
• 
2. Distribution. On April 30th, July 30th, October 30th and January 30th of each 
year, all amounts credited to the fund established by this section as of the last day of the 
preceding month and not distributed before that day must be distributed to each 
commercial track, as defined in section 275-A, subsection 1, to each agricultural fair 
licensee that conducts live racing on fair dates assigned by the commissioner pursuant to 
Title 7, section 84 and to each agricultural fair licensee that conducts an extended meet as 
long as that licensee conducted an extended meet in 1998, with each commercial track 
and each agricultural fair licensee receiving an amount of money determined by 
multiplying the amount of money available for distribution by a fraction, the numerator of 
which is the total number of live race dashes assigned to the commercial track or 
agricultural fair licensee for the year and the denominator of which is the total number of 
race dashes assigned to all commercial tracks and agricultural fair licensees for the year. 
The payment in January must be adjusted so that for the prior year each commercial track 
or agricultural fair licensee entitled to a distribution receives that portion of the total 
money distributed for the full year from the fund established by this section that is 
determined by multiplying the total amount of money by a fraction, the numerator of 
which is the number of live race dashes conducted by the commercial track or agricultural 
fair licensee during the calendar year that qualify for a distribution and the denominator 
of which is the total number of race dashes conducted during that calendar year that 
qualify for a distribution. 
For purposes of this subsection, a race dash qualifies for 
distribution if the dash was conducted by a commercial track or by an agricultural fair 
licensee on dates assigned under Title 7, section 84 or during an extended meet. The 
funds distributed pursuant to this subsection must be used to supplement harness racing 
purses. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited In the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill enables agricultural fairs that held extended harness racing meets in 1998 to 
share in the revenues generated by the racino. 
Page I - 123LR1692(Ol)-1 
This bill also corrects a conflict created by Public Law 2005, chapters 563 and 576, 
which affected the same provision of law.