Florida Senate - 2023                                    SB 7044
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Regulated Industries
       
       
       
       
       
       580-03287-23                                          20237044__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to changes in ownership of or interest
    3         in pari-mutuel permits; amending s. 550.054, F.S.;
    4         revising entities authorized to hold pari-mutuel
    5         wagering permits and associated licenses; amending s.
    6         849.086, F.S.; specifying such entities may hold a
    7         license for the operation of a cardroom; amending s.
    8         550.01215, F.S.; providing applicability; providing an
    9         effective date.
   10          
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Subsection (15) of section 550.054, Florida
   14  Statutes, is amended to read:
   15         550.054 Application for permit to conduct pari-mutuel
   16  wagering.—
   17         (15)(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a
   18  permit for the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering and associated
   19  cardroom or slot machine licenses may only be held by a
   20  permitholder who held an operating license for the conduct of
   21  pari-mutuel wagering for fiscal year 2020-2021 or who holds a
   22  permit issued pursuant to s. 550.3345 or by a purchaser,
   23  transferee, or assignee of a valid permit for the conduct of
   24  pari-mutuel wagering if approved by the commission before such
   25  purchase, transfer, or assignment and provided that the
   26  commission does not approve or issue an additional permit for
   27  the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering;
   28         (b) All permits issued under this chapter held by
   29  permitholders on January 1, 2021, are deemed valid for the sole
   30  and exclusive purpose of satisfying all conditions for the valid
   31  issuance of the permits, if such permitholder held an operating
   32  license for the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering for fiscal year
   33  2020-2021 or if such permitholder held a permit issued pursuant
   34  to s. 550.3345;
   35         (c) Additional permits for the conduct of pari-mutuel
   36  wagering may not be approved or issued by the commission or
   37  former Division of Pari-mutuel Wagering after January 1, 2021;
   38  and
   39         (d) A permit to conduct pari-mutuel wagering may not be
   40  converted to another class of permit.
   41         Section 2. Paragraph (c) of subsection (5) of section
   42  849.086, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   43         849.086 Cardrooms authorized.—
   44         (5) LICENSE REQUIRED; APPLICATION; FEES.—No person may
   45  operate a cardroom in this state unless such person holds a
   46  valid cardroom license issued pursuant to this section.
   47         (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a pari
   48  mutuel permitholder, other than a permitholder issued a permit
   49  pursuant to s. 550.3345 or a purchaser, transferee, or assignee
   50  holding a valid permit for the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering
   51  approved pursuant to s. 550.054(15)(a), may not be issued a
   52  license for the operation of a cardroom if the permitholder did
   53  not hold an operating license for the conduct of pari-mutuel
   54  wagering for fiscal year 2020-2021. In order for an initial
   55  cardroom license to be issued to a thoroughbred permitholder
   56  issued a permit pursuant to s. 550.3345, the applicant must have
   57  requested, as part of its pari-mutuel annual license
   58  application, to conduct at least a full schedule of live racing.
   59  In order for a cardroom license to be renewed by a thoroughbred
   60  permitholder, the applicant must have requested, as part of its
   61  pari-mutuel annual license application, to conduct at least 90
   62  percent of the total number of live performances conducted by
   63  such permitholder during either the state fiscal year in which
   64  its initial cardroom license was issued or the state fiscal year
   65  immediately prior thereto if the permitholder ran at least a
   66  full schedule of live racing or games in the prior year.
   67         Section 3. Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of section
   68  550.01215, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   69         550.01215 License application; periods of operation;
   70  license fees; bond.—
   71         (1) Each permitholder shall annually, during the period
   72  between December 15 and January 4, file in writing with the
   73  commission its application for an operating license for a pari
   74  mutuel facility for the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering during
   75  the next state fiscal year, including intertrack and simulcast
   76  race wagering. Each application for live performances must
   77  specify the number, dates, and starting times of all live
   78  performances that the permitholder intends to conduct. It must
   79  also specify which performances will be conducted as charity or
   80  scholarship performances.
   81         (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, other than
   82  a permitholder issued a permit pursuant to s. 550.3345, a pari
   83  mutuel permitholder may not be issued an operating license for
   84  the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering, slot machine gaming, or the
   85  operation of a cardroom if the permitholder did not hold an
   86  operating license for the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering for
   87  fiscal year 2020-2021. This paragraph does not apply to a
   88  purchaser, transferee, or assignee holding a valid permit for
   89  the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering approved pursuant to s.
   90  550.054(15)(a).
   91         Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.