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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
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*sb0762*
SENATE BILL 762
C6 (6lr2521)
ENROLLED BILL
— Budget and Taxation/Appropriations —
Introduced by Senator Guzzone Senators Guzzone, Augustine, Corderman,
Hettleman, King, Lewis Young, McCray, Rosapepe, Salling, and Zucker
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Great Seal and presen ted to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of _______________ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M.
______________________________________________
President.
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 circumstances and in a 8
certain manner; altering the amount of the balance in the Racetrack Facility Renewal 9
Account that is required to be made available to certain racing licensees if certain 10
racetracks are closed and no longer used for live racing; and generally relating to 11
grants from the Racetrack Facility Renewal Account. 12
BY renumbering 13
2 SENATE BILL 762
Article – State Government 1
Section 9–1A–01(w–1) and (w–2) 2
to be Section 9–1A–01(w–2) and (w–3), respectively 3
Annotated Code of Maryland 4
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 5
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 6
Article – State Government 7
Section 9–1A–01(a) and 9–1A–29(a) 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 10
BY adding to 11
Article – State Government 12
Section 9–1A–01(w–1) 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 16
Article – State Government 17
Section 9–1A–09, 9–1A–28(h)(1), and 9–1A–29(b)(6), (c), (e), (f), and (h) 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 20
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 21
That Section(s) 9–1A–01(w–1) and (w–2) of Article – State Government of the Annotated 22
Code of Maryland be renumbered to be Section(s) 9–1A–01(w–2) and (w–3), respectively. 23
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Laws of Maryland read 24
as follows: 25
Article – State Government 26
9–1A–01. 27
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 28
(W–1) “RACING LICENSEE” MEANS THE HOLDER OF A LICENSE ISSUED BY THE 29
STATE RACING COMMISSION TO HOLD A RACE MEETING IN THE STATE UNDER 30
TITLE 11 OF THE BUSINESS REGULATION ARTICLE. 31
9–1A–09. 32
[(a) In this section, “racing licensee” means the holder of a license issued by the 33
State Racing Commission to hold a race meeting in the State under Title 11 of the Business 34
Regulation Article.] 35
SENATE BILL 762 3
[(b)] (A) As a condition of eligibility for funding under § 9–1A–29 of this subtitle, 1
a racing licensee shall: 2
(1) (i) 1. for Rosecroft Raceway, FOR ANY YEAR THAT FUNDING IS 3
PROVIDED, conduct a minimum of 60 annual live racing days unless otherwise agreed to 4
by the racing licensee and the organization that represents the majority of licensed 5
standardbred owners and trainers in t he State or unless the racing licensee is prevented 6
by weather, acts of God, or other circumstances beyond the racing licensee’s control; and 7
[(ii)] 2. for Ocean Downs Racetrack , FOR ANY YEAR THAT 8
FUNDING IS PROVIDED , conduct a minimum of 40 annual liv e racing days unless 9
otherwise agreed to by the racing licensee and the organization that represents the majority 10
of licensed standardbred owners and trainers in the State or unless the racing licensee is 11
prevented by weather, acts of God, or other circums tances beyond the racing licensee’s 12
control; AND 13
(II) IF THE RACING LICENS EE RECEIVES FUNDING WITHOUT 14
PROVIDING AND EXPENDING A MATCHING FUND, AGREE TO CONDUCT LIVE RACING 15
DAYS IN THE STATE FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS AFTER THE CONS TRUCTION PLAN 16
REQUIRED UNDER § 9–1A–29(E) OF THIS SUBTITLE IS COMPLETE; 17
(2) develop and submit to the State Racing Commission a multiyear plan 18
to improve the quality and marketing of horse racing at racetrack locations owned or 19
operated by the racing licensee in Maryland, which shall include: 20
(i) goals, indicators, and timelines for specific actions that will be 21
taken by the racing licensee to improve the quality and marketing of the horse racing 22
industry in Maryland; and 23
(ii) a master plan for capital improvements that r eflects, at a 24
minimum: 25
1. commitments that have been made to the State Racing 26
Commission; 27
2. updates to any prior master plan specifically identifying 28
capital improvements and expenditures made on or after January 1, 2018; and 29
3. an ongoing investment in capital maintenance and 30
improvements in the horse racing facilities; AND 31
(3) for each year that funding is requested, spend at least the following 32
minimum amounts for capital maintenance and improvements, which may include 33
amounts provided as a matching fund [as required] IF THE RACING LICENSEE ELECTS 34
TO PROVIDE AND EXPEND A MATCHING FUND under § 9–1A–29(e)(2) of this subtitle: 35
4 SENATE BILL 762
(i) for Rosecroft Raceway, $300,000; and 1
(ii) for Ocean Downs Racetrack, $300,000. 2
[(c)] (B) As part of the capital maintenance and improvement items in the plan 3
submitted under subsection [(b)(2)] (A)(2) of this section, a racing licensee shall include 4
any improvements necessary to ensure that the condition of any part of the racetrack 5
facility where individuals reside is satisfactory for human habitation and meets minimum 6
housing and sanitation standards in the county where the facility is located. 7
[(d)] (C) The plans required under subsection [(b)] (A) of this section shall also 8
be provided to the Department of General Services and to the Legislative Policy Committee 9
of the General Assembly. 10
9–1A–28. 11
(h) (1) To obtain operating assistance under this section: 12
(i) a [holder of a racing license to race] RACING LICENSEE at Ocean 13
Downs Race C ourse or Rosecroft Raceway may apply to the Secretary of Labor for the 14
reimbursement of expenditures made by the racing licensee to conduct the annual live 15
racing schedule; and 16
(ii) a [holder of a racing license to race ] RACING LICENSEE at 17
Rosecroft Raceway shall: 18
1. agree to rehire workers employed at the facility prior to 19
the end of live racing on June 27, 2008; and 20
2. recognize collective bargaining agreements that were in 21
place as of June 1, 2008. 22
9–1A–29. 23
(a) There is a Racetrack Facil ity Renewal Account under the authority of the 24
State Racing Commission. 25
(b) (6) (i) Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, the State Racing 26
Commission may use the services of a certified public accountant to review an eligible 27
request for OR THE EXPENDITURES OF a grant under this section. 28
(ii) [The holder of a license to hold a race meeting in the State ] A 29
RACING LICENSEE that has requested a grant under this section shall reimburse the State 30
Racing Commission for any expenditures for service s under subparagraph (i) of this 31
paragraph. 32
SENATE BILL 762 5
(c) Except as provided in subsection (d)(1) of this section, funds from the Account 1
shall be used to provide a grant to the [holder of a license to hold a race meeting in the 2
State] RACING LICENSEE for racetrack facility capital construction and improvements. 3
(e) (1) In order to obtain a grant, a [holder of a license to hold a race meeting 4
in the State] RACING LICENSEE shall[: 5
(1)] submit a capital construction plan to be implemented COMPLETED 6
within a specified time frame to the State Racing Commission for approval[; and]. 7
(2) SUBJECT TO § 9–1A–09(A)(1)(II) OF THIS SUBTITLE AND THE 8
APPROVAL OF THE GRAN T FOR THE CAPITAL CO NSTRUCTION PLAN BY T HE STATE 9
RACING COMMISSION, THE RACING LICENSEE MAY provide and expend a matching 10
fund. 11
(f) (1) After a grant has been provided under this section, the State Racing 12
Commission shall: 13
[(1)] (I) in consultation with the Department of General Services, 14
monitor the implementation of the approved capital construction plan; and 15
(II) ON WRITTEN REQUEST F ROM THE GRANTEE , IN 16
CONSULTATION WITH TH E DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES, CERTIFY IN 17
WRITING THAT THE GRA NTEE HAS COMPLETED T HE APPROVED CAPITAL 18
CONSTRUCTION PLAN; AND 19
[(2)] (II) (III) make provisions for recapture of grant money if the capital 20
construction plan is not implemented COMPLETED within the time frame approved by the 21
State Racing Commission. 22
(2) IF A RACING LICENSEE RECEIVES A GRANT FOR A CAPITAL 23
CONSTRUCTION PLAN WI THOUT EXPENDING A MATCHING FUND AND DOES NOT 24
COMPLETE THE CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION PLAN OR CONDUCT LIVE RACING DAYS IN 25
THE STATE FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS AFTER THE CONSTRUCTION PLAN IS COMPLETE, 26
THE STATE RACING COMMISSION SHALL: 27
(I) IF THE RACING LICENSEE DOES NOT CONDUCT LIVE RACING 28
DAYS IN THE STATE FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS AFTER THE CONS TRUCTION PLAN IS 29
COMPLETE, CALCULATE THE AMOUNT TO BE REPAID ON A PR O RATA BASIS; AND 30
BASIS AND RECAPTURE THE GRANT MONEY; OR 31
(II) RECAPTURE THE GRANT MONEY IN THE AMOUNT AS 32
CALCULATED UNDER ITEM (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH. 33
6 SENATE BILL 762
(h) (1) The State Racing Commission shall adopt regulations to implement the 1
provisions of this section, including regulations to: 2
(i) address minimum criteria for the types of improvements to be 3
made by the [holder of a license] RACING LICENSEE; [and] 4
(ii) establish a formula to allocate funds under subsection (d)(2) of 5
this section between Rosecroft Raceway and Ocean Downs Race Course; AND 6
(III) ESTABLISH GUIDELINES FOR A RACING LICENSE E THAT 7
REQUESTS A GRANT FOR A CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION PLAN WITHOUT EXPE NDING A 8
MATCHING FUND. 9
(2) (I) If Rosecroft Raceway is closed and no longer used for live racing, 10
75% OF the unencumbered fund balance, including accrued interest, of the amount 11
available to Rosecroft Raceway from the Racetrack Facility Renewal Account under 12
subsection (d)(1)(ii) of this section shall be made available to Ocean Downs Race Course. 13
(II) IF OCEAN DOWNS RACE COURSE IS CLOSED AND NO 14
LONGER USED FOR LIVE RACING, 75% OF THE UNENCUMBERED FUND BALANCE , 15
INCLUDING ACCRUED IN TEREST, OF THE AMOUNT AVAILA BLE TO OCEAN DOWNS 16
FROM THE RACETRACK FACILITY RENEWAL ACCOUNT UNDER SUBSECT ION 17
(D)(1)(II) OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ROSECROFT RACEWAY. 18
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 19
1, 2026. 20
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.