20250AB__279299INT INTRODUCED 2026-03-17 2025 AB INT Introduced by Committee on Governmental Organization (Assembly Members Blanca Rubio (Chair), Davies (Vice Chair), Berman, Carrillo, Dixon, Fong, Gallagher, Gipson, Macedo, McKinnor, Pacheco, Michelle Rodriguez, Solache, Soria, Ta, Valencia, and Wallis) LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Committee on Governmental Organization Assembly Members Blanca Rubio (Chair), Davies (Vice Chair), Berman, Carrillo, Dixon, Fong, Gallagher, Gipson, Macedo, McKinnor, Pacheco, Michelle Rodriguez, Solache, Soria, Ta, Valencia, and Wallis

An act to amend

Section 19596.2 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to horse racing. horse racing Horse racing: out-of-state thoroughbred races: New York Stakes.

Existing law authorizes a thoroughbred racing association or fair to distribute the audiovisual signal and accept wagers on the results of out-of-state thoroughbred races conducted in the United States during the calendar period the association or fair is conducting a race meeting, including days on which there is no live racing being conducted by the association or fair, without the consent of the organization that represents horsemen and horsewomen participating in the race meeting and without regard to the amount of purses.

Existing law prohibits the total number of thoroughbred races imported by associations or fairs on a statewide basis under these provisions from exceeding races per day on days when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state, with the exception of prescribed races. This bill would exempt from the imported race per day limitation, races imported that are part of the race card of the New York Stakes. MAJORITY NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION

Section 19596.2 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 19596.2. (

a) Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided in

Section 19596.4, a thoroughbred racing association or fair may distribute the audiovisual signal and accept wagers on the results of out-of-state thoroughbred races conducted in the United States during the calendar period the association or fair is conducting a race meeting, including days on which there is no live racing being conducted by the association or fair, without the consent of the organization that represents horsemen and horsewomen participating in the race meeting and without regard to the amount of purses. Further, the total number of thoroughbred races imported by associations or fairs on a statewide basis under this

section shall not exceed per day on days when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state. The limitation of imported races per day does not apply to any of the following:

(1) Races imported for wagering purposes pursuant to subdivision (c).

(2) Races imported that are part of the race card of the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Oaks, the Preakness Stakes, the Belmont Stakes, the New York Stakes, the Jockey Club Gold Cup, the Travers Stakes, the Pegasus World Cup, the Arlington Million, the Breeders’ Cup World Championship, the Dubai World Cup, the Arkansas Derby, the Apple Blossom Handicap, the Blue Grass Stakes, the Whitney Stakes, or the Haskell Invitational.

(3) Races imported into the northern zone when there is no live thoroughbred or fair racing being conducted in the northern zone.

(4) Races imported into the combined central and southern zones when there is no live thoroughbred or fair racing being conducted in the combined central and southern zones. (

b) Any thoroughbred association or fair accepting wagers pursuant to subdivision (

a) shall conduct the wagering in accordance with the applicable provisions of Sections 19601, 19616, 19616.1, and 19616.2. (

c) Except as provided in subdivision (d), a thoroughbred association or fair shall not accept wagers pursuant to this

section on out-of-state races commencing after p.m., Pacific standard time, without the consent of the harness or quarter horse racing association that is then conducting a live racing meeting in the County of Orange or the County of Sacramento. (

d) When the total number of thoroughbred races imported by associations or fairs on a statewide basis under this

section is between and on a day when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state, a thoroughbred association or fair shall not accept wagers pursuant to this

section on out-of-state races commencing after p.m., Pacific standard time, without the consent of the harness and quarter horse racing association that is then conducting a live racing meeting in the County of Orange or the County of Sacramento.