An Act to Include
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1188
Committee Amendment CA_A_H413 (House)
Amends: 8 MRSA §275-B

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT •A" to H.P. 793, L.D. 1188, "An Act to Include 
Harness Racing with Other Sports for Purposes of Sports Wagering" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act to Amend the Law Governing Facilities Approved by the State Harness 
Racing Commission to Sell Pari-mutuel Pools and Common Pari-mutuel Pools for 
Simulcast Racing' 
Amend the bill by striking out the emergency preamble and substituting 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, Maine harness racing is an important historic sport; and 
Whereas, attracting new fans to Maine harness racing is critical to the future well-
being of the i11dust1y and agriculture; and 
Whereas, the 2025 racing season commenced in April and this legislation must take 
effect as early in the 2025 1·acing season as possible; 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 by striking out eve1ything after the enacting clause and before the 
emergency clause and inse11ing the following: 
'Sec, 1, 8 MRSA §275-B, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2023, c. 51, §1, is fmther 
amended by repealing the 2nd blocked paragraph. 
Sec. 2. 8 MRSA §275-B, sub-§4 is enacted to read: 
4. Facilities approved by commission; track located in another county. The 
commission may authorize a facility approved under subsection 3 to continue operation in 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
o<:o 
~ 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"/+' to H.P. 793, L.D. 1188 
the same location as approved under subsection 3 if, notwithstanding subsection 3, the 
location where the commercial track is licensed to conduct races is no longer located in the 
same county as the facility approved under subsection 3 and the location where the races 
are conducted by the commercial track meets the following criteria: 
A. The races are conducted at a location within a county contiguous to the county 
where the commercial track previously conducted the races: 
B. The races are not located within the same county as a casino licensed under section 
1011; and 
C. The races are not located within the same municipality as an off-track betting 
facility licensed under section 275-D or within a municipality contiguous to a 
municipality with an off-track betting facility licensed under section 275-D. 
A person licensed pursuant to section 271 to conduct hamess horse racing with pari-mutuel 
betting that sells pari-mutuel pools and common pari-mutuel pools for sinmlcast races at a 
facility approved under subsection 3 and authorized to continue operation under this 
subsection may not receive approval for any additional facilities under the provisions of 
subsection 3. 
Sec. 3. Provisional approval. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the 
contrary, the State Harness Racing Commission may provisionally approve a facility under 
the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 8, section 275-B, subsection 3 that has made an 
application to a municipality for the sale of pal'i-mutuel pools or common pari-mutuel pools 
at that facility, if that application is awaiting a decision from the municipal officers of the 
municipality in which the facility is located, 
Provisional approval under this section is valid only through December 31, 2025 or 
until such time as municipal approval is received or denied, whichever is sooner. A facility 
operating under provisional approval shall cease all operations related to this provisional 
approval on December 31, 2025 or on the date upon which a municipality denies that 
facility's application for the sale of pari-mutuel pools or common pari-mutuel pools at that 
facility if the denial occurs prior to December 31, 2025.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section 
number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill, changes the title and replaces the emergency 
preamble. 
The amendment removes the statutory repeal date from the provision authorizing the 
State Harness Racing Commission to approve a facility for the sale of pari-mutuel pools 
and common pari-mutuel pools for simulcast races by a person licensed pursuant to the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 8, section 271 to conduct harness horse racing with pari-
mutuel betting. 
The amendment provides that the State Harness Racing Commission may approve a 
facility already approved by the commission to sell pari-mutuel pools and common pari-
mutuel pools for simulcast races at that facility even if the track where the races are 
conducted is no longer in the county where the facility is located, as long as the track 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~o~ 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT •A "to H.P. 793, L.D, 1188 
location meets certain criteria. The track must be located within a county contiguous to the 
county where the original commercial track conducted races, may not be located within the 
same county as a casino and may not be located within the same municipality as an off-
track betting facility or in a municipality contiguous to a municipality with an off-track 
betting facility. 
It also provides that the State Harness Racing Commission may provisionally approve 
a facility that has applied for approval from the municipal officers of the municipality in 
which the facility is located, if that application is awaiting a decision. Provisional approval 
is valid only through December 31, 2025 or until such time as municipal approval is 
received or denied, whichever is sooner, A facility operating under provisional approval 
must cease all operations related to the provisional approval on the date the facility's 
application for municipal approval is denied or on December 31, 2025, whichever occurs 
first. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Revised: 05/30/25 LRL 
LD 1188 
LR 1038(02) 
An Act to Include Harness Racing with Other Sports for Purposes of Sports Wagering 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment jf • { H~ 1/ ( 3) 
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs· 
.,,. · 
FiscalNote Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Fiscal'Detail and Notes 
Any additional costs to the Harness Racing Commission within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and 
Forestry to adopt the changes in this bill are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted 
resources. 
LR1038(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1· of 1