An Act To Modernize the Laws Governing Maine Harness Racing
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1532
Committee Amendment CA_A_H478 (House)
Amends: 8 MRSA §275-N, 8 MRSA §299, 8 MRSA §1037

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,fr,, to H.P. 1052, L.D. 1532, Bill, "An Act To 
Modernize the Laws Governing Maine Harness Racing" 
Amend the bill by inserting after the title and before the enacting clause the 
following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, the provisions of this bill affecting the number of harness horse racing 
race dates must take effect prior to the commencement of this year's harness horse racing 
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,' 
Amend the bill in section 5 in §267 by striking out all of subsection 2 (page 3, lines 6 
to 16 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'2. 
Report. 
By May 1st Beginning April 1, 2018, and annually thereafter, the 
commission shall make submit a rep01i to the commissioner with copies to the Governor, 
and the joint standing committee committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
slot machines, harness racing, agricultural matters and the EKecutive Director of the 
Legislative Council fairs and appropriations and financial affairs. 
This report must 
include an account of the commission's operations and actions, a report of its financial 
position, including receipts and disbursements, an account of the practical effects of 
application of this chapter and any recommended legislation. The operations report must 
include the number and types of violations of racing laws and rules, the disposition of 
those violations and the amount of time required for their disposition, including a history 
of any appeals. The report must include the date and amount of each administrative 
assessment withdrawn in accordance with section 267-A from each of the assessed funds 
under section 267-A, subsection 4.' 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
fl/ 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT' 
"to H.P. 1052, L.D. 1532 
Amend the bill in section 8 in subsection I in the 9th and 10th lines (page 4, lines 4 
and 5 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "is $100 or $10 per week, v,rllichever is 
hlgheF is established by the commission" and inserting the following: 'is $100 or $10 per 
week, whichever is higher' 
Amend the bill in section 9 in subsection 2 by inserting at the end a new blocked 
paragraph to read: 
'If the executive director or the commission determines that any of the criteria listed in 
this subsection have not been met by the licensee, the executive director shall submit a 
notice of the deficiency in meeting any criteria to the licensee, regardless of whether the 
deficiency resulted in the denial of the application for or the refusal to award race dates. 
The director shall also submit a copy of the notice in the same manner and at the same 
time to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
agriculture matters.' 
Amend the bill in section 13 in subsection 1 in the first line (page 6, line 4 in L.D.) by 
inserting after the following: "deposits" the following: '; rules' 
Amend the bill in section 13 in subsection 1 in the 10th and 11th lines (page 6, lines 
and 14 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "to provide for the allocation of purse 
money and oversight of the trust account" and inserting the following: 'governing the 
handling of trust accounts, providing for the reallocation of trust account funds to other 
licensed commercial tracks in the event that a track ceases operation or cancels a 
significant number of race days, as determined by the commission, and governing the 
handling of harness racing purses at any commercial track that does not have a contract 
with a statewide horsemen association' 
Amend the bill in section 14 in subsection 1 by inserting at the end the following: 
'For the purpose of determining the number of days a race track conducted racing under 
this subsection, if a race day is canceled due to a natural or other disaster, or due to a 
horse supply shottage as verified by the state steward, the track is considered to have 
conducted racing on that day.' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 18 and insetting the following: 
'Sec. 18. 
MRSA §275-N, as amended by PL 2015, c. 200, §2, is fmther 
amended to read: 
§275-N. Limitations on off-track betting facilities 
The commission may allow interstate simulcasting and license any off-track betting 
facility regardless of the number of race dates that were conducted in the State for any 
calendar year. Interstate simulcasting always must be allowed at any commercial track 
6 
that conducted at least 13 6 race dates during the immediately preceding 2 calendar years 
or at an e1dsting commercial traok as defined in section 275 A, subseotion 1, paragraph B 
8 
at 1.vhioh at least 3 5 raoe dates were conducted during the preceding 2 years if the 
interstate simulcasting at the commeroial trnck is conducted during the regular meeting. 
For the purposes of this seotion, any race date that the oommission determines 1.vas 
oanceled due to a natural or other disaster must be counted as a raoe date. For the 
purposes of this section and for the parpose of meeting the requirements of section 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT,!}',, to H.P. 1052, L.D. 1532 
A, subsection 1, any race date that is canceled at a commercial race track d11e to the 
inability to meet the req11irements of section 275 A, subsection 9 A because of a horse 
shortage, as verified by the state steward, is counted as a race date.' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 23 . 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 24 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 24. 8 MRSA §299, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 687, Pt. A, §4 and 
affected by Pt. B, § 11, is amended to read: 
2. Distribution. On May 30th, September 30th July 30th and January 30th, 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 
licensed under section 2 71 within 3 0 days, with each track receiving that amount of the 
money available for distribution determined by multiplying that amount times a fraction, 
the numerator of which is the total number of live race days conducted by race day credits 
awarded to the commercial track during the preceding time period and the denominator of 
which is the total number of race days cond-ttcted by day credits awarded for all 
commercial tracks licensed under section 271 during that time period. The payment in 
January must be adjusted so that for the prior :3- I time periods each commercial track 
receives that fraction of the total money distributed over the full year from the fund 
established by this section, the amount determined by multiplying the total amount of 
money times a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of live race days conducted 
day credits actually earned by the commercial track during the calendar year and the 
denominator of which is the total number of race days eonooeted day credits actually 
earned by all commercial tracks licensed under section 271 during that calendar year.' 
Amend the bill in section 25 in subsection 3 in the 13th line (page 11, line 11 in L.D.) 
by striking out the following: "attended" and inserting the following: 'extended' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 27 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 27. 8 MRSA §1037, first 1, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 358, §6 and amended 
by c. 657, Pt. W, §6, is further amended to read: 
Beginning February 15, 2012 April 1, 2018 and annually thereafter, the executive 
director of the State Harness Racing Commission, in consultation with the Commissioner 
of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, annually shall submit a report to the joint 
standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over slot machines, harness 
racing, agricultural fairs and appropriations and financial affairs regarding the use of slot 
machine revenue deposited in funds under section 1036, subsection 2, paragraphs B, C, 
D, Hand I. The executive director and the commissioner shall obtain the information as 
described in this section. The report required by this section must be completed using 
budgeted resources. The executive director may not distribute funds listed under section 
1036, subsection 2, as applicable, to harness racing tracks, off-track betting facilities, 
agricultural fairs or the Sire Stakes Fund under section 281 until the information required 
to submit the report required by this section is provided. The report required by this 
section may be combined with the report required under section 267.' 
Amend the bill by inserting at the end before the summary the following: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITIEE AMENDMENT "fi:.to 11.P. 1052, L.D. 1532 
'Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited 111 the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment amends the bill as follows. 
1. It adds an emergency preamble and emergency clause. 
2. 
It clarifies and standardizes the reporting requirements of the State Harness 
Racing Commission. 
3. It eliminates from the bill the proposed amendments to existing harness horse 
racing license fee provisions. 
4. It provides that if the executive director of the State Harness Racing Commission 
or the commission determines that any of the criteria for race date awards have not been 
met by a licensee, the executive director must submit a notice of the deficiency to the 
licensee, regardless of whether the deficiency resulted in the denial of the application for 
or the refusal to award race dates. A copy of this notice must also be submitted at the 
same time to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
agriculture matters. 
5. It clarifies the rule-making authority of the State Harness Racing Commission 
regarding oversight and allocation of trust account funds. 
6. 
It removes the commission's rule-making authority in the bill to establish 
standards for the use of the Fund to Encourage Racing at Maine's Commercial Tracks. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Approved: 06/07/17 #ac. 
LD 1532 
LR 707(02) 
An Act To Modernize the Laws Governing Maine Harness Racing 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment f}l f1" t.j.:J g) 
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Any additional costs to the Maine Harness Racing Commission within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation, 
and Forestry as a result of modifications to the statutes governing harness racing are anticipated to be minor and can 
be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. Removing the requirement to print booklets containing the harness 
racing rules and laws will reduce costs by a minor amount. 
LR0707(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1