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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb1598*
HOUSE BILL 1598
C6 6lr3640
CF SB 762
By: Delegates McCaskill and Toles
Introduced and read first time: February 16, 2026
Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations
Re–referred to: Appropriations, February 26, 2026
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 23, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Horse Racing – Racetrack Facility Renewal Account Grants – Alterations 2
FOR the purpose of authorizing, rather than requiring, a certain racing licensee to receive 3
a grant for a capital construction plan from the Racetrack Facility Renewal Account 4
without providing and expending a matching fund; requiring the racing licensee that 5
receives the grant without providing and expending a matching fund to conduct live 6
racing in the State for a certain number of years; requiring the State Racing 7
Commission to recapture certain grant funds under certain circumsta nces and in a 8
certain manner; altering the amount of the balance in the Racetrack Facility 9
Renewal Account that is required to be made available to certain racing licensees if 10
certain racetracks are closed and no longer used for live racing; and generally 11
relating to grants from the Racetrack Facility Renewal Account. 12
BY renumbering 13
Article – State Government 14
Section 9–1A–01(w–1) and (w–2) 15
to be Section 9–1A–01(w–2) and (w–3), respectively 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 18
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 19
Article – State Government 20
Section 9–1A–01(a) and 9–1A–29(a) 21
Annotated Code of Maryland 22
2 HOUSE BILL 1598
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 1
BY adding to 2
Article – State Government 3
Section 9–1A–01(w–1) 4
Annotated Code of Maryland 5
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 6
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – State Government 8
Section 9–1A–09, 9–1A–28(h)(1), and 9–1A–29(b)(6), (c), (e), (f), and (h) 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That Section(s) 9–1A–01(w–1) and (w–2) of Article – State Government of the Annotated 13
Code of Maryland be renumbered to be Section(s) 9–1A–01(w–2) and (w–3), respectively. 14
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Laws of Maryland read 15
as follows: 16
Article – State Government 17
9–1A–01. 18
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 19
(W–1) “RACING LICENSEE” MEANS THE HOLDER OF A LICENSE ISSUED BY THE 20
STATE RACING COMMISSION TO HOLD A RACE MEETING IN THE STATE UNDER 21
TITLE 11 OF THE BUSINESS REGULATION ARTICLE. 22
9–1A–09. 23
[(a) In this section, “racing licensee” means the holder of a license issued by the 24
State Racing Commission to hold a race meeting in the State under Title 11 of the Business 25
Regulation Article.] 26
[(b)] (A) As a condition of eligibility for funding under § 9–1A–29 of this subtitle, 27
a racing licensee shall: 28
(1) (i) 1. for Rosecroft Raceway, FOR ANY YEAR THAT FUNDING IS 29
PROVIDED, conduct a minimum of 60 annual live racing days unless otherwise agreed to 30
by the racing licensee and the organization that represents the majority of licensed 31
standardbred owners and trainers in the State or unless t he racing licensee is prevented 32
by weather, acts of God, or other circumstances beyond the racing licensee’s control; and 33
HOUSE BILL 1598 3
[(ii)] 2. for Ocean Downs Racetrack , FOR ANY YEAR THAT 1
FUNDING IS PROVIDED , conduct a minimum of 40 annual live racing days unless 2
otherwise agreed to by the racing licensee and the organization that represents the majority 3
of licensed standardbred owners and trainers in the State or unless the racing licensee is 4
prevented by weather, acts of God, or other circumstances beyond the ra cing licensee’s 5
control; AND 6
(II) IF THE RACING LICENS EE RECEIVES FUNDING WITHOUT 7
PROVIDING AND EXPENDING A MATCHING FUND, AGREE TO CONDUCT LIVE RACING 8
DAYS IN THE STATE FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS AFTER THE CONS TRUCTION PLAN 9
REQUIRED UNDER 9–1A–29(E) OF THIS SUBTITLE IS COMPLETE; 10
(2) develop and submit to the State Racing Commission a multiyear plan 11
to improve the quality and marketing of horse racing at racetrack locations owned or 12
operated by the racing licensee in Maryland, which shall include: 13
(i) goals, indicators, and timelines for specific actions that will be 14
taken by the racing licensee to improve the quality and marketing of the horse racing 15
industry in Maryland; and 16
(ii) a master plan for capital improvements that reflects, at a 17
minimum: 18
1. commitments that have been made to the State Racing 19
Commission; 20
2. updates to any prior master plan specifically identifying 21
capital improvements and expenditures made on or after January 1, 2018; and 22
3. an ongoing investment in capital maintenance and 23
improvements in the horse racing facilities; AND 24
(3) for each year that funding is requested, spend at least the following 25
minimum amounts for capital maintenance and improvements, which may include 26
amounts provided as a matching fund [as required] IF THE RACING LICENSEE ELECTS 27
TO PROVIDE AND EXPEND A MATCHING FUND under § 9–1A–29(e)(2) of this subtitle: 28
(i) for Rosecroft Raceway, $300,000; and 29
(ii) for Ocean Downs Racetrack, $300,000. 30
[(c)] (B) As part of the capital maintenance and improvement items in the plan 31
submitted under subsection [(b)(2)] (A)(2) of this section, a racing licensee shall include 32
any improvements necessary to ensure that the condition of any part of the racetrack 33
facility where individuals reside is satisfactory for human habitation and meets minimum 34
housing and sanitation standards in the county where the facility is located. 35
4 HOUSE BILL 1598
[(d)] (C) The plans required under subsection [(b)] (A) of this section shall also 1
be provided to the Department of General Services and to the Legislative Policy Committee 2
of the General Assembly. 3
9–1A–28. 4
(h) (1) To obtain operating assistance under this section: 5
(i) a [holder of a racing license to race] RACING LICENSEE at Ocean 6
Downs Race C ourse or Rosecroft Raceway may apply to the Secretary of Labor for the 7
reimbursement of expenditures made by the racing licensee to conduct the annual live 8
racing schedule; and 9
(ii) a [holder of a racing license to race ] RACING LICENSEE at 10
Rosecroft Raceway shall: 11
1. agree to rehire workers employed at the facility prior to 12
the end of live racing on June 27, 2008; and 13
2. recognize collective bargaining agreements that were in 14
place as of June 1, 2008. 15
9–1A–29. 16
(a) There is a Racetrack Facil ity Renewal Account under the authority of the 17
State Racing Commission. 18
(b) (6) (i) Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, the State Racing 19
Commission may use the services of a certified public accountant to review an eligible 20
request for OR THE EXPENDITURES OF a grant under this section. 21
(ii) [The holder of a license to hold a race meeting in the State ] A 22
RACING LICENSEE that has requested a grant under this section shall reimburse the State 23
Racing Commission for any expenditures for service s under subparagraph (i) of this 24
paragraph. 25
(c) Except as provided in subsection (d)(1) of this section, funds from the Account 26
shall be used to provide a grant to the [holder of a license to hold a race meeting in the 27
State] RACING LICENSEE for racetrack facility capital construction and improvements. 28
(e) (1) In order to obtain a grant, a [holder of a license to hold a race meeting 29
in the State] RACING LICENSEE shall[: 30
(1)] submit a capital construction plan to be implemented COMPLETED 31
within a specified time frame to the State Racing Commission for approval[; and]. 32
HOUSE BILL 1598 5
(2) SUBJECT TO § 9–1A–09(A)(1)(II) OF THIS SUBTITLE AND THE 1
APPROVAL OF THE GRAN T FOR THE CAPITAL CO NSTRUCTION PLAN BY T HE STATE 2
RACING COMMISSION, THE RACING LICENSEE MAY provide and expend a matching 3
fund. 4
(f) (1) After a grant has been provided under this section, the State Racing 5
Commission shall: 6
[(1)] (I) in consultation with the Department of General Services, 7
monitor the implementation of the approved capital construction plan; and 8
(II) ON WRITTEN REQUEST F ROM THE GRANTEE , IN 9
CONSULTATION WITH TH E DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES, CERTIFY IN 10
WRITING THA T THE GRANTEE HAS CO MPLETED THE APPROVED CAPITAL 11
CONSTRUCTION PLAN; AND 12
[(2)] (II) (III) make provisions for recapture of grant money if the capital 13
construction plan is not implemented COMPLETED within the time frame approved by the 14
State Racing Commission. 15
(2) IF A RACING LICENSEE RECEIVES A GRANT FOR A CAPITAL 16
CONSTRUCTION PLAN WI THOUT EXPENDING A MA TCHING FUND AND DOES NOT 17
COMPLETE THE CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION PLAN OR CONDUCT LIVE RACING DAYS IN 18
THE STATE FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS AFTER THE CONSTRUCTION PLAN IS COMPLETE, 19
THE STATE RACING COMMISSION SHALL: 20
(I) IF THE RACING LICENSEE DOES NOT CONDUCT LIVE RACING 21
DAYS IN THE STATE FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS AFTER THE CONS TRUCTION PLAN IS 22
COMPLETE, CALCULATE THE AMOUNT TO BE REPAID ON A PRO R ATA BASIS; AND 23
BASIS AND RECAPTURE THE GRANT MONEY; OR 24
(II) RECAPTURE THE GRANT MONEY IN THE AMOUNT AS 25
CALCULATED UNDER ITEM (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH. 26
(h) (1) The State Racing Commission shall adopt regulations to implement the 27
provisions of this section, including regulations to: 28
(i) address minimum criteria for the types of improvements to be 29
made by the [holder of a license] RACING LICENSEE; [and] 30
(ii) establish a formula to allocate funds under subsection (d)(2) of 31
this section between Rosecroft Raceway and Ocean Downs Race Course; AND 32
6 HOUSE BILL 1598
(III) ESTABLISH GUIDELINES FOR A RACING LICENSE E THAT 1
REQUESTS A GRANT FOR A CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION PLAN WITHOUT EXPE NDING A 2
MATCHING FUND. 3
(2) (I) If Rosecroft Raceway is closed and no longer used for live racing, 4
75% OF the unencumbered fund balance, including accrued interest, of the amount 5
available to Rosecroft Raceway from the Racetrack Facility Renewal Account under 6
subsection (d)(1)(ii) of this section shall be made available to Ocean Downs Race Course. 7
(II) IF OCEAN DOWNS RACE COURSE IS CLOSED AND NO 8
LONGER USED FOR LIVE RACING, 75% OF THE UNENCUMBERED FUND BALANCE , 9
INCLUDING ACCRUED IN TEREST, OF THE AMOUNT AVAILA BLE TO OCEAN DOWNS 10
FROM THE RACETRACK FACILITY RENEWAL ACCOUNT UNDER SUBSECT ION 11
(D)(1)(II) OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ROSECROFT RACEWAY. 12
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 13
1, 2026. 14
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.