An Act Concerning Harness Racing Association Funding
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 1408
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs
Sponsors: MAREAN, NUTTING, CARTER, GIFFORD, MOORE, PRATT
Amends: 8 MRSA §272-B

Legislative Document 
No. 1408 
H.P.991 
House of Representatives, March 14,2007 
An Act Concerning Harness Racing Association Funding 
Reference to the Committee on Legal and Veterans Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative MAREAN of Hollis. 
Cosponsored by Senator NUTTING of Androscoggin and 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: CARTER of Bethel, CRA Y of Palmyra, GIFFORD of Lincoln, MOORE of 
Standish, PlOTT I of Unity, PRATT of Eddington. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 8 MRSA §272-B, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 401, §9, is repealed and the 
following enacted in its place: 
§272-B. Association funding 
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, up to 3% of funds designated to 
supplement purses may be paid to a statewide association of horsemen in accordance with 
this section. A statewide association of horsemen, referred to in this section as "the 
association," means an association of horsemen whose officers are authorized by the 
membership to negotiate with a person licensed to conduct racing under section 271 on 
behalf of the association's membership. 
1. Payment from licensee to association. A licensee described in section 271 shall 
pay to an association determined eligible under subsection 2 an amount not to exceed 3% 
of each of the following: 
A. Disbursements from the Sire Stakes Fund under section 281 for the purpose of 
supplementing purses; 
B. The purse supplement share calculated under section 286 for distribution under 
section 290; 
C. The funds designated from the commercial meet account to supplement purses 
under section 287, subsection 2; 
D. The funds designated from the extended meet account to supplement purses under 
section 289, subsection 2, paragraph B; 
E. The fund to supplement harness racing purses established under section 298 and 
receiving payment pursuant to section 1036, subsection 2, paragraph B; and 
F. Disbursements from the Agricultural Fair Support Fund under Title 7, section 91, 
subsection 2, paragraph A. 
2. Eligibility for disbursement. To be eligible to receive funding under subsection 
1, an association must submit to the commission the following: 
A. A copy of the annual budget approved by a majority of the association's members 
present and voting at the annual business meeting of the association; 
B. 
A letter signed by the officers of the association stating that a majority of 
association members present and voting in a separate vote at the annual meeting 
approved seeking funds under this section; and 
C. A letter signed by the officers of the association indicating the date on which the 
votes referenced in paragraphs A and B were taken and attesting that the votes were 
taken in accordance with the association's bylaws. 
3. Limitations. An association receiving payments under this section may not 
expend any portion of the payments for an item that did not appear in the association's 
budget approved by its members and submitted under subsection 2. 
4. Payment. Each year, upon receipt and verification of the information required 
under subsection 2, the commission shall advise licensees of the maximum amount 
payable to the association under subsection I. Total payments made each year to the 
association under this section may not exceed the association's budget for that year. 
5. Rulemaking. The commission may adopt rules necessary to establish a process 
for calculating and disbursing funds under this section. The rules may include a process 
for recovery of funds received or expended in noncompliance with this section. Rules 
adopted under this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 
375, subchapter 2-A. 
SUMMARY 
II 
This bill authorizes the payment of up to 3% of funds designated for supplementing 
purses to be used to support a statewide association of horsemen authorized to negotiate 
on its members' behalf.