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 redefines "occupational license" and clarifies that commission members and employees are not liable for good faith actions taken in their official capacities. It also modifies eligibility criteria for commission membership by removing disqualifications related to crimes involving moral turpitude. Additionally, the bill establishes a Texas Equine Education and Research Council and an escrow account for funding equine education and research initiatives, mandating that a portion of horse racing pool funds be allocated to support state horse breed registries.

The legislation further streamlines racetrack licensing and operations by introducing new minimum application fees for various classes of horse racetracks and specifying residency and ownership requirements for corporations seeking licenses. It repeals existing provisions related to greyhound racing, including financial reporting requirements for greyhound racetrack associations, and mandates the transfer of any greyhound purse funds to the Texas Racing Commission for allocation to horse racing purses. The bill also allows greyhound racetrack associations to convert their licenses to horse racing licenses by 2026, provided they meet certain criteria. Overall, H.B. No. 4757 aims to enhance the regulatory framework for horse racing while completely 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 2035, Tax Code 11, Occupations Code 2028, Occupations Code 2021, Occupations Code 821, Occupations Code 2027, Occupations Code 2024, Occupations Code 2033, Occupations Code 2022, Occupations Code 2026, Government Code 481, Occupations Code 2023, Occupations Code 2025, Health and Safety Code 751)