Sen. Dodd's Horse Racing Safety Bill Clears Committee

SACRAMENTO – Horse and jockey-safety legislation from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, prompted by the surge in racing horse deaths at Santa Anita Park cleared a key committee today. Senate Bill 469 allows the California Horse Racing Board to quickly suspend racing at tracks when dangerous conditions exist. 

“This bill is about empowering regulators to make sure we’re putting safety first,” Sen. Dodd said. “This is a commonsense step toward the ultimate goal of improving horse safety.”

SB 469 would allow racing board directors to convene an emergency meeting to consider temporary track closure when a situation emerges requiring prompt action. The usual 10-day meeting notice would be waived, but the board would still be required to notice the emergency meeting to the media and public.

The bill passed the Governmental Organization committee with bipartisan support and heads next to Appropriations.

It is co-authored by Sen. Susan Rubio, D-Baldwin Park and Assemblymembers Ed Chau, D-Arcadia, and Adam Gray, D-Merced. Sen. Dodd and Assemblymember Gray are planning a joint oversight hearing on horse racing safety in May. It will include testimony from expert witnesses highlighting the steps the industry and regulators have already taken to improve safety as well as exploring areas where more needs to be done. A hearing date has not been set.

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Senator Bill Dodd represents California’s 3rd Senate District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Solano, Sonoma, Yolo, Sacramento, and Contra Costa counties. You can learn more about Senator Dodd at www.sen.ca.gov/dodd.