H.B. No. 4757 proposes significant amendments to the Texas Racing Commission's regulations, primarily focusing on horse racing while prohibiting live greyhound racing events in the state. The bill introduces a new definition of "occupational license" and expands civil liability protections for commission members and employees acting in good faith. It modifies eligibility criteria for commission membership by removing disqualifications related to felony convictions for moral turpitude and establishes the Texas Equine Education and Research Council along with a Texas-bred escrow account to manage funds for state horse breed registries. The bill also mandates that a percentage of live wagering pools be allocated to this escrow account and includes stricter penalties for unlawful racing activities.

Additionally, the bill repeals numerous provisions related to greyhound racing, including financial reporting requirements for greyhound racetracks and stipulations for pari-mutuel wagering on greyhound races. It allows greyhound racetrack associations to convert their licenses to horse racing licenses by meeting specific criteria and paying a fee, with a deadline for conversion set for December 31, 2029. The Texas Racing Commission is tasked with adopting necessary rules to implement these changes, with the effective date of the bill set for September 1, 2025. Overall, the legislation aims to enhance the regulatory framework for horse racing while phasing out greyhound racing in Texas.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Occupations Code 2021.003, Occupations Code 2021.006, Occupations Code 2022.004, Occupations Code 2022.052, Occupations Code 2023.053, Occupations Code 2023.061, Occupations Code 2024.055, Occupations Code 2025.103, Occupations Code 2025.262, Occupations Code 2026.008, Occupations Code 2026.051, Occupations Code 2028.103, Occupations Code 2028.105, Occupations Code 2028.301, Occupations Code 2033.002, Occupations Code 2033.004, Occupations Code 2033.014, Occupations Code 2033.101, Occupations Code 2033.104, Occupations Code 821.022, Government Code 481.172, Health and Safety Code 751.0021, Occupations Code 2021.002, Occupations Code 2022.001, Occupations Code 2023.001, Occupations Code 2023.002, Occupations Code 2023.004, Occupations Code 2023.101, Occupations Code 2025.051, Occupations Code 2025.053, Occupations Code 2025.101, Occupations Code 2025.201, Occupations Code 2026.003, Occupations Code 2026.004, Occupations Code 2027.001, Occupations Code 2027.006, Occupations Code 2028.051, Occupations Code 2028.202, Occupations Code 2035.001, Occupations Code 2035.002, Occupations Code 2035.005, Occupations Code 2035.006, Occupations Code 2035.015, Occupations Code 2035.016, Occupations Code 2035.105, Tax Code 11.23 (Occupations Code 2022, Occupations Code 2027, Occupations Code 2033, Occupations Code 2023, Occupations Code 2024, Occupations Code 2035, Tax Code 11, Occupations Code 2025, Occupations Code 2021, Occupations Code 821, Health and Safety Code 751, Occupations Code 2026, Occupations Code 2028, Government Code 481)