1998 Summary of Legislation Published by the Iowa General Assembly -- Legislative Service Bureau

GAMING

GAMING LEGISLATION

SENATE FILE 2121 - Veterinary Treatment of Racehorses (full text of act)

BY COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT. This Act relates to the administration of lasix to racehorses, which is regulated by the state Racing and Gaming Commission under Code Chapter 99D.

Currently, a racehorse must be brought to a detention barn for treatment under the supervision of a commission veterinarian. This Act permits lasix to be administered in the horse's stall, unless the commission requires that the horse be brought to the detention barn. The Act directs the commission to adopt rules to ensure that lasix is lawfully administered. The treating veterinarian is not required to administer the lasix under the supervision of a commission veterinarian, under the Act, but must provide an affidavit relating to the horse's treatment to the commission veterinarian within 20 minutes following treatment.

The Act takes effect February 26, 1998.

SENATE FILE 2320 - Gambling Moratorium and Penalties for Underage Gamblers - VETOED BY THE GOVERNOR (full text of act)

BY COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT. This Act would have imposed a moratorium of five years on the issuance of licenses for excursion gambling boats, limited the location of new excursion gambling boat licenses after the moratorium, imposed a scheduled violation for underage gambling, limited the civil penalty imposed against a licensee related to underage gambling, prohibited the loaning of money by credit card or other electronic means for gambling, and authorized the transfer of a gambling game license held by a pari-mutuel racetrack licensee with county voter approval.

The total number of excursion gambling boat licenses would have been limited to 10 from July 1, l998, until July 1, 2003. However, the licenses could have been sold and a new license issued for the same county; a licensed boat could have been relocated within the same county; and a new license could have been issued if a license was surrendered, not renewed, or revoked. These actions would have required approval of the state Racing and Gaming Commission. Commencing on July 1, 2003, a new license for an excursion gambling boat could have been issued only for operation on the Mississippi or Missouri Rivers.

The Act also would have imposed a freeze on an increase in the number of gambling games or the number of slot machines on an excursion gambling boat and on an increase in the number of slot machines at a pari-mutuel racetrack. The freeze would have begun six months after enactment, and continued until January 1, 2001.

A license to operate gambling games at pari-mutuel racetracks could have been transferred to another person with approval of the county electorate and the state Racing and Gaming Commission. A new licensee would have to meet the requirements related to pari-mutuel licensees. In addition, if a contract related to purses and supplements for horse racing existed when the transfer occurs, the contract could have remained effective until termination, and thereafter, purses and supplements would be no lower than 15 percent of the annual adjusted gross receipts. The commission could not authorize a licensee to conduct pari-mutuel wagering at a licensed premises in more than one county.

This Act also would have preserved collective bargaining agreements or the impact of an employee representation election if a pari-mutuel, excursion gambling boat or gambling game license was transferred. Also, a gambling game licensee could distribute profits to a governmental body and the distribution would be considered a charitable contribution.

The scheduled violation for a person who gambles at a licensed gambling facility while under the age of 21 years would have been a fine of $100. A civil penalty imposed by the state Racing and Gaming Commission on a gambling licensee relating to underage gambling could not have exceeded $1,000 per incident.

SENATE FILE 2376 - Regulation and Operation of Lottery (full text of act)

BY COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT. This Act provides that employees of the Lottery Division of the Department of Revenue and Finance are not responsible for the examination of equipment used to select winning tickets or shares before and after each public drawing and that a person commits a class "D" felony if the person redeems or attempts to redeem a lottery ticket or share with intent to defraud or commits a theft or attempts to commit a theft of a lottery ticket or share. A class "D" felony is punishable by imprisonment up to five years and a possible fine of at least $500 but not more than $7,500.

HOUSE FILE 2532 - Prizes Awarded in Raffles and Games (full text of act)

BY SIEGRIST AND SCHRADER. This Act increases the maximum value of a prize that may be awarded in a raffle or game of skill or chance, excluding bingo. The value is increased from $200 to $1,000. However, one raffle may be conducted each calendar year at which prizes including cash or real estate may have a combined value of more than $1,000.

RELATED LEGISLATION

SENATE FILE 2280 --Appropriations -- Health and Human Rights (Complete summary under APPROPRIATIONS)

This Act provides for an appropriation from amounts remaining in the Gambling Treatment Fund at the close of FY 1997-1998, and for an appropriation of amounts deposited into the fund in excess of $1,900,000 for FY 1998-1999, to the Department of Public Safety, the Iowa Department of Public Health, and the Department of Elder Affairs for a variety of programs and services.

© 1998 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa

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Last update: THU July 30 1998
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