An Act To Amend Certain Harness Racing Laws
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, appropriate penalties for violations of the harness racing statutes are essential to maintaining the integrity of the industry; and
Whereas, most racing occurs in the summer months; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 8 MRSA §280, as amended by PL 1997, c. 528, §41, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
1. Violation; interference with horse. Except as provided in section 279-A, a person may not intentionally or knowingly: A. Interfere with, tamper, injure, destroy, stimulate or depress by the use of narcotics, drugs, stimulants or appliances of any kind any horse used for the purpose of racing, whether that horse is the property of that person or another;
B. Attempt to violate paragraph A; or
C. Cause, instigate, counsel or in any way abet the violation of paragraph A.
2. Prearrange results of race; prohibited. A person may not intentionally or knowingly influence or have any understanding, arrangement or collusion with any person associated with or interested in any stable, horse, track or race in which any horse participates to prearrange the results of such a race.
3. Penalties. The following penalties apply to violations of this section. A. A person who violates this section commits a Class C crime.
B. The owner of any horse that is found to have been stimulated or doped must be denied any part of the purse offered for a race in which that horse participated, and the purse must be distributed as in the case of a disqualification. If the owner of a horse is convicted of violating this section, the court may bar the owner from racing any horses in the State for a period of one year from the date of conviction.
4. Veterinarian; duties. The department is authorized to employ a veterinarian. The duties of the veterinarian include the medical and physical examination and testing of horses to ensure compliance with the statutes and advising the department of any violation of the statutes.
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.
Effective June 7, 2007.