SRC-BWC H.B. 1196 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 1196
77R7969 YDB-DBy: Brimer (Cain)
State Affairs
5/2/2001
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

The Texas Racing Act contains a financial incentive program designed to
improve the caliber of breeding and quality of Texas-bred horses. An
accredited Texas-bred horse is a horse that is considered qualified for
this program, which provides incentives to owners and breeders through
supplements to purses awarded in races won by accredited Texas-bred horses.
Any horse that is bred and born (foaled) in Texas qualifies as a Texas-bred
horse. The accredited Texas-bred horse qualification is not lost if the
mare is bred out of state and brought back for the birth of the foal and is
bred back to a stallion in Texas. However, the Texas-bred foal crop has
declined over the last four years. A reason for the decline is the exodus
of high quality Texas mares to other states for breeding and domicile
because of the lack of stallions in Texas that match the quality of Texas
mares. H.B. 1196 allows a Thoroughbred or Arabian horse that is bred out of
state by an accredited Texas-bred mare to qualify as a "Texas-bred horse"
without limitation as long as the foal is born in Texas and provides for
bonus awards as a purse supplement.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 1.03(21), Texas Racing Act (Article 179e,
V.T.C.S.), to redefine "Texas-bred horse" to include a horse qualified
under the rules of the commission to be a Thoroughbred or Arabian horse
foaled in Texas by an accredited Texas-bred mare if the mare was bred
outside Texas and returned to Texas on or before August 15 of the calendar
year of conception. Makes nonsubstantive changes.   

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 6.08, Texas Racing Act (Article 179e, V.T.C.S.),
to provide that an accredited Texas-bred Thoroughbred or Arabian horse
described by Section 1.03(21) of this Act is eligible for only one-half of
the incentives awarded under Subsections (f) and (j) (2) of this section.
Requires the remaining portion to be retained by the appropriate state
horse breed registry for general distribution at the same meeting in
accordance with Subsection (f) and (j) of this section. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 9.03, Texas Racing Act (Article 179e, V.T.C.S.),
to require an accredited Texas-bred Thoroughbred horse that finishes first,
second, or third in a race other than a Texas-bred race to receive an
owner's bonus award as a purse supplement.  Requires a certain percentage
of the Texas-bred program funds received under Sections 6.08 and 6.091,
excluding expenses for administration of the Texas-bred program, to be
allocated to fund the bonus awards. Makes a nonsubstantive change. 

SECTION 4.  Effective date:  January 1, 2002.