An Act To Improve Marketing Efficiency in the Harness Racing Industty by Requiring Its Promotion by the State Harness Racing Commission and by Repealing the Harness Racing Promotional Board
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1766
Committee Amendment CA_A_H652 (House)
Amends: 8 MRSA §263-A, 8 MRSA §267, 8 MRSA §1037

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "/f" to H.P. 1220, L.D. 1766, Bill, "An Act To 
Improve Marketing Efficiency in the Harness Racing Industty by Requiring Its 
Promotion by the State Harness Racing Commission and by Repealing the Harness 
Racing Promotional Board" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 1 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 8 MRSA §263-A, sub-§§6 and 7 are enacted to read: 
6. Promotion of harness racing. The commission shall promote harness racing in 
the State through the formation of advisory subcommittees, the facilitation of marketing 
plans and the expenditure or granting of funds. 
7. Input on the promotion of harness racing. The commission shall invite input 
from a statewide association of harness horsemen. a statewide association of 
Standardbred breeders. a statewide association of agricultural fairs and persons who are 
members of organizations representing the interests of commercial harness racing tracks 
and off-track betting facilities on the marketing and promotion of harness racing in this 
State. 
Sec. 2. 8 MRSA §267, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2017, c. 231, §5, is further 
amended to read: 
2. Report. Beginning April 1, 2018 February 15. 2019, and annually thereafter, the 
commission shall submit a report to the commissioner and the joint standing committees 
of the Legislature having jurisdiction over slot machines, harness racing, agricultural 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 pi'actical 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include the date and amount of each adfninistrative assessment withdrawn in accordance 
with section 267-A from each of the assessed funds under section 267-A, subsection 4. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
o'f $ 
~ 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" If. to H.P. 1220, L.D. 1766 
The report must include an account of the commission's operations and actions regarding 
the promotion of harness racing. a summary of income and expenses of the Harness 
Racing Promotional Fund. including any receipts and disbursements. and an assessment 
of the economic condition of the harness racing industry in this State.' 
Amend the bill in section 4 in §299-A in subsection 1 in the 2nd line (page 1, line 15 
in L.D.) by striking out the following: "assist with the" and inserting the.following: 'be 
used solely for the marketing and' 
Amend the bill in section 4 in §299-A in subsection 2 in the first line (page 1, line 21 
in L.D.) by striking out the following: "may expend revenue or award grants from" and 
inserting the following: 'shall administer' 
Amend the bill by inserting after section 4 the following: 
'Sec. 5. 8 MRSA §1037, first ,r, as amended by PL 2017, c. 231, §26, is further 
amended to read: 
Beginning April 1, 2018 February 15. 2019 and annually thereafter, the executive 
director of the State Harness Racing Commission, in consultation with the Commissioner 
of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, 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 inust 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 after section 5 the following: 
'Sec. 6. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY, DEPARTMENT OF 
Harness Racing Commission 0320 
Initiative: Provides an ongoing allocation to the Harness Racing Promotional Fund, which 
is being moved from the Harness Racing Promotional Board to the State Harness Racing 
Commission. 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
All Other 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
2017-18 
$0 
$0 
2018-19 
$50,000 
$50,000 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITIEE AMENDMENT .. fr. to H.P. 1220, L.D. 1766 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which is the unanimous report of the committee, requires that the 
funds in the Harness Racing Promotional Fund be used solely for the marketing and 
promotion of harness racing and requires the State Harness Racing Commission to invite 
input on the marketing and promotion of harness racing in this State from a statewide 
association of harness horsemen, a statewide association of Standardbred breeders, a 
statewide association of agricultural fairs and persons who are members of organizations 
representing the interests of commercial harness racing tracks and off-track betting 
facilities. It requires the State Harness Racing Commission, in its annual report, to 
include an account of the commission's operations and actions regarding the promotion of 
harness racing, a summary of income and expenses of the Harness Racing Promotional 
Fund, including any receipts and disbursements, and an assessment of the economic 
condition of the harness racing industry in this State. The amendment also changes the 
date of the annual report from April 1st in 2018 to February 15th beginning in 2019. It 
also adds an appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
• 
Revised: 02/28/18 /Wae!-
LD 1766 
LR2633(02) 
An Act To Improve Marketing Efficiency in the Harness Racing Industry by Requiring Its Promotion 
by the State Harness Racing Commission and by Repealing the Harness Racing Promotional Board 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment {f,(/f ·--/5J) 
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry 
Appropriations/Allocations 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Revenue 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY2017-18 
FY 2018-19 
$0 
$50,000 
$0 
$50,000 
Projections 
FY 2019-20 
$50,000 
$50,000 
Projections 
FY 2020-21 
$50,000 
$50,000 
This bill repeals the Harness Racing Promotional Board (board) and moves its duties and responsibilities to the 
existing State Harness Racing Commission ( commission), which is within the Department of Agriculture, 
Conservation and Forestry. The Harness Racing Promotional Fund, currently administered by the board, will be 
transferred to the commission. Annual revenue of $50,000 from commissions on live racing will now accrue to the 
commission starting in fiscal year 2018-19 and the bill includes an ongoing allocation of $50,000 beginning in fiscal 
year 2018-19. 
LR2633(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1