TITLE 54

PROFESSIONS, VOCATIONS, AND BUSINESSES

CHAPTER 25

HORSE RACING

54-2508.  License — Application therefor — Type and number of races — Fee per day — Refund — Cancellation — Hearing — Simulcast purse moneys fund. It shall be unlawful for any person to hold any race meet in this state without having first obtained and having in force and effect a license issued by the commission as in this chapter provided. Every person making application for a license to hold a race meet, under the provisions of this chapter, shall file an application with the commission which shall set forth the time, place and number of days such will continue, an agreement with a horsemen’s group as the term "horsemen’s group" is defined in section 54-2502, Idaho Code, and such other information as the commission may require. The agreement shall be reached voluntarily or pursuant to binding arbitration in conformance with chapter 9, title 7, Idaho Code, and shall address, but not be limited to, number of live race days and percentage of the live race and simulcast handle that is dedicated to the live horse race purse structure. In addition, the agreement shall provide that all simulcast purse moneys that are accrued as required by the horsemen’s agreement be held in the simulcast purse moneys fund created pursuant to the provisions of this section. Race days agreed upon shall be submitted to the Idaho state racing commission for its approval.

No person who has been convicted of any crime that is deemed relevant in accordance with section 67-9411(1), Idaho Code, shall be issued a license of any kind, nor shall any license be issued to any person who has violated the terms or provisions of this chapter, or any of the rules of the commission, or who has failed to pay any of the fees, taxes or moneys required under the provisions of this chapter.

All applications to hold race meets shall be submitted to the commission, which shall act upon such applications within thirty (30) days. The commission shall be the sole judge of whether or not the race meet shall be licensed and the number of days the meet shall continue.

The license issued shall specify the kind and character of the race meets to be held, the number of days the race meet shall continue and the number of races per day. For those licensees or facilities that have had a total race handle from both live races and simulcast races exceeding five million dollars ($5,000,000) during the last calendar year in operation, the number of races per day shall not be less than eight (8), and the number of days of racing shall not be less than forty-six (46) unless otherwise agreed by the licensee and the horsemen’s group. Provided however, the number of days of racing shall not be less than fifteen (15) and the number of days of racing shall be approved by the Idaho state racing commission. For those licensees or facilities that have had a total race handle from both live races and simulcast races of five million dollars ($5,000,000) or less during the last calendar year in operation, the number of races per day shall not be less than six (6) and the number of days of racing shall not be less than two (2). The licensee shall pay in advance of the scheduled race meet to the state treasurer a fee of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for each day of racing, which fees shall be placed in the public school income fund of the state of Idaho. Provided, that if unforeseen obstacles arise that prevent the holding or completion of any race meet, the license fee held may be refunded to the licensee, if the commission deems the reason for failure to hold or complete the race meet sufficient. Any unexpired license held by any person who violates any of the provisions of this chapter, pursuant thereto, or who fails to pay to the commission any and all sums required under the provisions of this chapter, shall be subject to cancellation and revocation by the commission. Such cancellation shall be made only after a summary hearing before the commission, of which three (3) days’ notice in writing shall be given the licensee, specifying the grounds for the proposed cancellation, and at which hearing the licensee shall be given an opportunity to be heard in opposition to the proposed cancellation.

The simulcast purse moneys fund is hereby created in the state treasury. Moneys in the fund shall consist of all simulcast purse moneys that are accrued as required by horsemen’s agreements. Moneys in the fund are hereby perpetually appropriated to the Idaho state racing commission for distribution pursuant to the provisions of horsemen’s agreements and rules of the commission. The commission is authorized to promulgate rules providing for the receipt, deposit, withdrawal and distribution of such moneys. The state treasurer shall invest idle moneys in the fund and any interest received on those investments shall be returned to the fund.

History:

[54-2508, added 1963, ch. 64, sec. 8, p. 246; am. 1969, ch. 221, sec. 1, p. 724; am. 1971, ch. 259, sec. 3, p. 1037; am. 1980, ch. 123, sec. 1, p. 278; am. 1990, ch. 424, sec. 1, p. 1173; am. 1996, ch. 380, sec. 2, p. 1288; am. 1997, ch. 351, sec. 1, p. 1038; am. 2001, ch. 72, sec. 1, p. 152; am. 2002, ch. 56, sec. 1, p. 124; am. 2006, ch. 159, sec. 1, p. 477; am. 2011, ch. 306, sec. 1, p. 873; am. 2020, ch. 175, sec. 26, p. 534.]