An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Study the Promotion, Expansion and Regulation of the Harness Racing Industry
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 2184
Committee Amendment CA_A_H953 (House)
Amends: 8 MRSA §263-C

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "fr" ~o H.P. 1554, L.D. 2184, Bill, "An Act To 
Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Study the Promotion, Expansion 
and Regulation of the Harness Racing Industry" 
Amend the bill in section 3 in paragraph P in the last line (page 1, line 13 in L.D.) by 
inserting after the following: "Resources" the following: 'at adjudicatory hearings before 
the commission' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 4 and 5 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 4. 8 MRSA §263-C, suh-§4, ~A, as repealed and replaced by PL 2003, c. 
687, Pt. B, §2 and affected by § 11, is amended to read: 
A. 
Management of the work of the commission, including: 
(I) Rulemaking; 
(2) Processing appeals; 
(3) Licensing of tracks and off-track betting facilities; 
(4) Setting race dates; aM 
(5) Making reports to the Governor and Legislature and recommendations to the 
commissioner regarding harness racing and off-track betting operations and the 
need for changes in statutes and rules; and 
(6) 
Presenting evidence in adjudicatory hearings before the commIssIon 
regarding alleged violations of this chapter or rules adopted in accordance with 
this chapter; and' 
Amend the bill in section 6 in §273 in the last line (page 2, line 31 in L.D.) by 
inserting after the following: "00fh" the following: 'when a license is required under 
sections 269 and 270' 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
RoOfS. 
I I 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 1554, L.D. 2184 
Amend the bill in section 9 in §279-E in the first paragraph in the 3rd line (page 3, 
line 15 in L.D.) by inserting after the following: "licensee" the following: " qualified to 
race' 
Amcnd the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment clarifies that the executive director of the State Harness Racing 
Commission is authorized to present evidence in adjudicatory hearings before the 
commission as part of the executive director's duties for the commission. It amends the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 8, section 273 to clarifY that a penalty for conducting a race 
without a license only applies when a license is required because pari-mutuel betting is 
permitted. 
It also clarifies that only horses qualified to race are subject to out-of-
competition testing. It removes the section of the bill that proposes transferring money 
from 5 dedicated funds to an account to support laboratory testing. 
F~SCA..L \OTE J<EQt:1RED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 04/07108 
;::b;?ac.. 
LD 2184 
LR 3472(02) 
An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Study the Promotion, Expansion 
and Regulation of the Harness Racing Industry 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "A " 
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Minor cost increase - Highway Fund 
This legislation could result in a reduction in dedicated revenue to the Department of the Attorney General. Currently, 
the Harness Racing Commission pays for legal services by funding a portion of an Assistant Attorney General 
position. Determining exactly how much work could be performed by the executive director of the Harness Racing 
Commission in lieu of the Assistant Attorney General position can not be determined at this time. The Department of 
the Attorney General will secure revenue from another source to make up the potential loss of revenue. Therefore, 
there will be no decrease to the allocation related to the position in the Office of the Attorney General. 
Additional costs to the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources can be absorbed within existing 
budgeted resources. Currently, the Harncss Racing Commission investigates all cases where it has been alleged that a 
horse was given prohibited substances. This legislation indicates that the Department of Public Safety, State Police 
may assist in these investigations if requested by the Commission. It is assumed that the Commission would continue 
to investigate the majority of these cases and the State Police would not be called in frequently. Therefore, any 
additional costs to the Department of Public Safety can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR3472(02) - Fiscal Note - Page I of I