Legislation to overhaul horse racing in Pennsylvania is expected to be signed next week by Gov. Tom Wolf.
The bill, sponsored by State Sen. Elder Vogel Jr. and approved by legislators a week ago, will create a new, nine-member state racing commission to oversee horse racing in Pennsylvania.
Mike Rader of Vogel's office said the bill has been in the works for years.
"The statutes overseeing racing have not been updated since the 1980s," Rader said.
After the bill becomes law, the Harness Racing and Thoroughbred Racing commissions will be dissolved and a new, nine-member board "with regulatory responsibility for protecting and maintaining racing integrity will be created," he said, adding that five members will be appointed by the governor and four by legislators.
He said both racing commissions face financial issues.
"There is no money for oversight. The governor announced in the fall of 2015 that unless changes were made he would consider shutting down racing."
With the signing into law of the new bill comes funds, even if there is no budget.
Rader said unappropriated funds can be put to use to oversee racing, but the $6.2 million deficit faced by state racing must wait until a budget is passed.
The change in the commissions, Rader said, is not expected to affect the progress of the proposed Lawrence County racetrack/casino.
"There has been no problem with the racing commission. It has approved the license for Lawrence County time and again through changes in ownership and investors, and will continue to do so," he said. "The hurdle seems to be the Gaming Control Board. We hope to get (the track) up and running soon in Lawrence County. This has been what the senator has always hoped."
"Chairman Jonathan Newman said this might be the final meeting of the commission," said Lawrence County commissioner Dan Vogler who attended the Pennsylvania State Harness Racing Commission meeting on Thursday.
He noted that nothing about Lawrence Downs Casino and Racing Resort, the proposed multi-million-dollar racetrack/casino planned for Mahoning Township, was on the agenda.
Newman is the sole member of the commission, which currently has two vacancies. Vogler said Newman noted the next scheduled meeting of the harness racing commission is scheduled for late in March, if the board still exists.
"I'm hopeful that the members of the new board will be favorably inclined to our track/casino project," he said.
By Nancy Lowry
Reprinted with permission of The New Castle News