The bill amends the Horse Racing Act to establish new requirements for racetracks to maintain their gaming operator's licenses by specifying the minimum number of live race days necessary during a race meet. It introduces a new section that mandates a race meet to consist of three live race days per week, with at least ten live races each day for racetracks that paid gaming tax of $8 million or less in the previous fiscal year. For those that paid more than $8 million, the requirement increases to four live race days per week with at least nine races each day. Additionally, the bill stipulates that there should be no more than three consecutive days without live racing between the end of one race meet and the start of another.

Furthermore, the bill establishes that a race meet must last a minimum of fifteen weeks. This change aims to ensure a consistent schedule of live racing events, which is crucial for both the racetracks' operations and the overall horse racing industry in New Mexico. The provisions of this act are set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 60-1A-2