SENATE STATE GOVERNMENT, WAGERING, TOURISM & HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 3091

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MAY 18, 2023

      The Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 3091.

This bill requires the NJ Racing Commission to establish a five-year grant program for the purpose of providing funds to assist with the care of retired horses.

     Under the bill, to be considered for the grants, an applicant must be a nonprofit organization operating under 26 U.S.C. s.501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code and be fully accredited by the Standardbred Transition Alliance (STA), Standardbred Retirement Foundation (SRF), or Second Call Thoroughbred Adoption and Placement (Second Call).  The requirements for the evaluation of each applicant must include, but need not be limited to:

     a statement of need;

     a demonstration of financial stability and operational transparency;

     evidence of qualified and experienced horsepersons attending to each horse’s needs; and

     documentation of well-developed screening policies to ensure proper placement of horses;

     evidence that the applicant maintains national standards of best practices for the industry, which may include the Care Guidelines for Equine Rescue and Retirement Facilities promulgated by the American Association of Equine Practitioners; and

     a written commitment to ensure funds provided through this program will only be used for the care of New Jersey-bred horses, or horses with a parent being a New Jersey-bred broodmare or New Jersey-bred stallion, or both.

     The bill also requires the NJ Racing Commission to provide notice of the availability of funding for this program, including notifying the STA, SRF, and Second Call of the program, and make the application available on the commission's website.

     The bill appropriates from the General Fund to the NJ Racing Commission the sum of $1,000,000 to establish and implement the grant program.  The NJ Racing Commission would provide $100,000 to an accredited organization dedicated to the care of retired Standardbred horses and $100,000 to an accredited organization dedicated to the care of retired Thoroughbred horses each year for the next five years, which totals $1,000,000 over a five-year period.

     Under the bill, after considering the applicants, if the New Jersey Racing Commission determines that the applicants in a given year do not meet the requirements under the bill, the available funding for that year may be distributed in equal shares as determined by the commission to promote the care of retired Standardbred horses and the care of Thoroughbred horses.  Following the expiration of the five-year grant program established by the bill, any unexpended funds would be returned to the General Fund.