Ch. 750                                    1997 LAWS OF MARYLAND

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1997.

Approved May 22, 1997.

CHAPTER 750
(House Bill 315)

AN ACT concerning

Horse Racing —Taxes -Purses

FOR the purpose of repealing altering the taxes on certain amounts bet on certain
thoroughbred and harness races; requiring certain licensees to alter the percentage
of money that is allocated to purses from certain amounts bet on certain races;
providing for the allocation for harness racing purses; altering the distribution of
proceeds from the State Lottery Fund for a certain fiscal year; requiring that a certain
amount of revenue that would otherwise be paid to the General Fund be distributed to a
special fund to be used only to increase purses at harness racing tracks and mile
thoroughbred racing tracks in the State; requiring the Governor by budgetary amendment
to allocate money from the special fund to increase purses offered at harness racing
tracks and mile thoroughbred racing tracks in the State; rewiring that the purses be
increased according to a certain formula; requiring that all funds for purses under this
Act be in addition to and not supplant certain other funds; requiring the Governor to
create a commission to study ways to improve the financial viability of the racing
industry; providing for the membership, duties, and staffing of the commission; requiring
the commission to submit a certain report to certain committees of the General
Assembly; providing for the termination of this Act; and generally relating to taxes and
purses allocated from amounts bet on certain thoroughbred and harness races horse
racing in the State.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article - Business Regulation
Section 11-515, 11-614, and 11-616
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1992 Volume and 1996 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Business Regulation

11-515.

(a) Except as provided in §§ 11-515.1 and 11-516 of this subtitle, the takeout that
a licensee deducts from the handle of a race shall be allocated in accordance with this
section.

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