(LEX 18) — Senate Bill 120, which would change the pari-mutuel wagering definition to include historical horse racing machines, passed in the Kentucky House of Representatives on Thursday.
The bill will now move to Gov. Andy Beshear's desk.
Horse industry leaders from Churchill Downs Incorporated, Keeneland, Ellis Entertainment LLC, Red Mile Racetrack, and Kentucky Downs released the following statement regarding the passage of SB 120 by the Kentucky House of Representatives:
“On behalf of our team members, our horsemen and all of the citizens of the Commonwealth who earn their pay checks directly or indirectly from the horse industry, we applaud the Kentucky House of Representatives for the passage today of SB 120. The future of the Commonwealth’s signature industry and those who support it is secure.
We had extensive discussions with Governor Beshear and given his longstanding and unwavering support of the horse industry, we anticipate that he will sign SB 120 into law.
We express our profound gratitude to bill sponsor Senator Schickel, President Stivers and Minority Leader McGarvey of the Kentucky Senate and Speaker Osbourne and Minority Leader Jenkins of the Kentucky House of Representatives for their leadership in securing SB 120’s passage in the General Assembly.
On behalf of the Commonwealth’s race tracks, we also confirm and reiterate our discussions with Governor Beshear, Minority Leader McGarvey and Minority Leader Jenkins that we will work constructively to revise and raise the tax structure on historical racing machines, including consideration of a fair and equitable graduated tax structure. We look forward to those discussions in the near term and confirm our commitment to the Commonwealth to build on our tax and job base through sound capital investments and good corporate citizenship.”
