NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6034
SPONSOR: Woerner TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, in
relation to harness racing
PURPOSE:
To allow competition and watering on "racing under saddle" at standard-
bred harness racetracks.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends subdivision 3 of section 301 of the Racing, Pari-Mutu-
el Wagering and Breeding law to Permit a mounted rider as an acceptable
form of standardbred harness racing.
Section 2: Effective Date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Under current law, the definition of harness racing limits the racing of
a very specific breed and unique breed of horses to racing attached to
"a sulky, carriage or similar vehicle" and effectively prohibits the
practice of "racing under saddle" with a mounted rider. A promotional
event was held at Yonkers and fan interest in this type of racing has
increased after this event.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024 A3047 referred to Racing and Wagering
2021-2022 A1681 referred to Racing & Wagering
2019-2020 A4736 referred to racing and wagering
2017-2018 A2118 referred to racing and wagering
2018 S1059 Advanced to Third Reading Committed to Rules
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The fiscal impact would be positive and benefit racing and agriculture
in New York.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This Act shall take effect immediately
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6034
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 25, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. WOERNER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Racing and Wagering
AN ACT to amend the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, in
relation to harness racing
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 301 of the racing, pari-mutuel
2 wagering and breeding law, as amended by chapter 243 of the laws of
3 2020, is amended to read as follows:
4 3. The term "racing", as used in this article, shall be construed to
5 mean utilizing only [horse racing in which the horses participating are
6 harnessed] horses that are registered with a recognized breed registry
7 as standard (harness) and where the standardbred horse is attached to a
8 sulky, carriage, or similar vehicle[, and shall not include any form of
9 horse racing in which the horses participating are] or mounted [by a
10 jockey].
11 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07665-01-5
