BILL NO A00254
SAME AS No same as
SPONSOR Miller
COSPNSR
MLTSPNSR
Add S104-c, RWB L
Prohibits claims from being finalized in claiming races, unless such horse
finishes the race unassisted and is examined by a licensed veterinarian.
BILL NUMBER:A254
TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and
breeding law, in relation to prohibiting certain claims from being
finalized in claiming races
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:; Requires any horse in a claim race
to finish the race without assistance and must be examined by a
licensed veterinarian before the claim can be made final.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: The racing, pari-mutuel wagering and
breeding law is amended by adding a new section 104-c.
JUSTIFICATION: As a means of getting rid of ill, elderly, or otherwise
incapable horses, it has become practice for horse owners to put these
horses in claim races. The result is an increase in the number of
horse collapses on race tracks in recent years. As the New York Times
reported on March 24th, 2012 in their report titled "Mangled Horses,
Maimed Jockey", "On average, 24 horses die each week at racetracks
across America. Many are inexpensive horses racing with little
regulatory protection in pursuit of bigger and bigger prizes. These
deaths often go unexamined, the bodies shipped to rendering plants and
landfills."
This bill seeks to end this practice by forcing horse owners to only
put forth horses that are capable of finishing a race without
assistance and passing an examination by a veterinarian.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: None
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None
EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately.
