Senate BillPassed first houseBusiness and Professions
SB 844: Horse racing: out-of-state thoroughbred races.
What SB 844 does, verified December 13, 2025
This bill amends the horse racing law to allow thoroughbred racing associations or fairs to distribute the audiovisual signal and accept wagers on out-of-state thoroughbred races without the consent of the organization representing horsemen and horsewomen, as long as the total number of races does not exceed 80 per day. Currently, there is a limit of 75 races per day, but the bill would increase this limit to 80. The bill also changes the timing for when associations or fairs can start accepting wagers on out-of-state races, allowing them to do so on days when live racing is being conducted in the state, but only if the total number of races is between 51 and 80 per day.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
✓In CommitteeComplete
✓First Chamber FloorComplete
4Second ChamberCurrent
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: June 25 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author. (2025-05-28)Alert me
Author and sponsors
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| Jun. 25, 2025 | June 25 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author. |
| Jun. 05, 2025 | Referred to Com. on G.O. |
| May. 28, 2025 | Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 1295.) Ordered to the Assembly. |
| May. 28, 2025 | In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk. |
| May. 28, 2025 | Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.) Ordered to the Assembly. |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 21, 2025 · 849 words
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 844
| Introduced by Senator Rubio |
February 21, 2025 |
An act to amend Section 19596.2 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to horse racing.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 844, as introduced, Rubio. Horse racing: out-of-state thoroughbred races.
The Horse Racing Law authorizes a thoroughbred racing association or fair to distribute the audiovisual signal and accept wagers on the results of out-of-state thoroughbred races conducted in the United States during the calendar period the association or fair is conducting a race meeting, including days on which there is no live racing being conducted by the association or fair, without the consent of the organization that represents horsemen and horsewomen participating in the race meeting and without regard to the amount of purses. Existing law prohibits the total number of thoroughbred races imported by associations or fairs on a statewide basis under these provisions from exceeding 75 races per day on days when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state, with the exception of prescribed races.
This bill would instead prohibit the total number of thoroughbred races imported by associations or fairs on a statewide basis under these provisions from exceeding 80 races per day on days when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state, with the exception of prescribed races.
Existing law prohibits, when the total number of thoroughbred races imported by a thoroughbred association or fair on a statewide basis is between 51 and 75 races per day on days when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state, a thoroughbred association or fair from accepting wagers on the above-described out-of-state races commencing after 5 p.m., Pacific standard time, without the consent of the harness and quarter horse racing association that is then conducting a live racing meeting in the County of Orange or the County of Sacramento.
This bill would instead apply the above-described prohibition when the total number of thoroughbred races imported by a thoroughbred association or fair on a statewide basis is between 51 and 80 races per day on days when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 19596.2 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:19596.2.
(a) Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided in Section 19596.4, a thoroughbred racing association or fair may distribute the audiovisual signal and accept wagers on the results of out-of-state thoroughbred races conducted in the United States during the calendar period the association or fair is conducting a race meeting, including days on which there is no live racing being conducted by the association or fair, without the consent of the organization that represents horsemen and horsewomen participating in the race meeting and without regard to the amount of purses. Further, the total number of thoroughbred races imported by associations or fairs on a statewide basis under this section shall not exceed(1) Races imported for wagering purposes pursuant to subdivision (c).
(2) Races imported that are part of the race card of the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Oaks, the Preakness Stakes, the Belmont Stakes, the Jockey Club Gold Cup, the Travers Stakes, the Pegasus World Cup, the Arlington Million, the Breeders’ Cup World Championship, the Dubai World Cup, the Arkansas Derby, the Apple Blossom Handicap, the Blue Grass Stakes, the Whitney Stakes, or the Haskell Invitational.
(3) Races imported into the northern zone when there is no live thoroughbred or fair racing being conducted in the northern zone.
(4) Races imported into the combined central and southern zones when there is no live thoroughbred or fair racing being conducted in the combined central and southern zones.
(b) Any thoroughbred association or fair accepting wagers pursuant to subdivision (a) shall conduct the wagering in accordance with the applicable provisions of Sections 19601, 19616, 19616.1, and 19616.2.
(c) Except as provided in subdivision (d), a thoroughbred association or fair shall not accept wagers pursuant to this section on out-of-state races commencing after 7 p.m., Pacific standard time, without the consent of the harness or quarter horse racing association that is then conducting a live racing meeting in the County of Orange or the County of Sacramento.
(d) When the total number of thoroughbred races imported by associations or fairs on a statewide basis under this section is between 51 and 75 80 on a day when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state, a thoroughbred association or fair shall not accept wagers pursuant to this section on out-of-state races commencing after 5 p.m., Pacific standard time, without the consent of the harness and quarter horse racing association that is then conducting a live racing meeting in the County of Orange or the County of Sacramento.
Text of SB 844 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions