BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3366

By: Kacal

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised regarding the manner in which money for the Texas-bred program under the Texas Racing Act and money for use by state breed registries is deposited and distributed. H.B. 3366 seeks to address this issue by creating the Texas-bred incentive fund and providing for deposits to the fund and distribution of money in the fund.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Racing Commission in SECTION 8 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 3366 amends the Occupations Code to create the Texas-bred incentive fund as an escrow account in the state treasury in the registry of the Texas Racing Commission. The bill requires the racing commission to deposit into the fund money set aside for the Texas-bred program or set aside for use by state breed registries under Texas Racing Act provisions relating to pari-mutuel pools, purses, and fees. The bill requires the racing commission to distribute money from the fund in accordance with those provisions of the act and racing commission rules. The bill provides for the deposit and distribution of certain amounts to and from the fund.

H.B. 3366 includes rules relating to the deposit of certain amounts set aside for the program and to the use of those amounts by the state breed registries under the program among those required to be adopted by the racing commission. The bill exempts money deposited into the fund from Texas Racing Act provisions relating to the deposit of the state's share of each pari-mutuel pool from horse racing and greyhound racing into the general revenue fund and the deposit of money collected by the racing commission under the act into the state treasury to the credit of the Texas Racing Commission fund. The bill requires the racing commission to revise existing rules or adopt new rules as necessary to comply with the bill's provisions.    

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.