Addendum to SFA analysis (12-9-98)

Sponsor: Sen. Leon Stille

Senate Committee: Farming, Agribusiness and Food Systems

ADDENDUM TO SENATE FISCAL AGENCY ANALYSIS OF SB 1307 AND 1314 DATED 11-12-98:

The Senate Fiscal Agency Analysis describes both Senate Bills 1307 and 1314; only Senate Bill 1314 is pending before the House. The original version of Senate Bill 1314 has been discharged from the Committee on Regulatory Affairs; that version of the bill is described in the SFA analysis. A floor substitute, Substitute H-2, has been offered for Senate Bill 1314.

The House substitute (H-2) for Senate Bill 1314 would make the following changes from the Senate-passed version:

The substitute would specify that beginning in 1998, tickets that had not been claimed within 60 days after the close of the race meeting would be retained by the licensee and distributed as follows:

* If the licensee were a standardbred or light horse race meeting licensee, 50 percent of the funds would be retained by the licensee and 50 percent would be deposited into the Michigan Agriculture Equine Fund and designated for standardbred and light horse programs, respectively.

* If the licensee were a thoroughbred race meeting licensee, 100 percent of the 1998 funds would be earmarked for the development and capital improvement for accommodating thoroughbred racing at existing licensed racing facilities that have been in operation for the two years preceding the effective date of the bill that are located within a city area or at a facility outside of a city area with written approval from a certified thoroughbred horsemen's organization and approved by the racing commissioner. (The terms "city area" and "horsemen's organization" are defined in the racing law.) Beginning in 1999, the funds would be distributed in the same manner as for standardbred and light horse race meeting licensees.

Funds for uncashed tickets for 1998 that have been remitted by licensees and are being held by the Department of Treasury would have to be distributed under the bill's provisions.

Analyst: S. Stutzky

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.