OHHA endorses Racehorse Health and Safety Act

Grove City, Ohio – The Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association (OHHA) announced today that at its fourth-quarter board meeting, it voted to formally endorse the Racehorse Health and Safety Act (RHSA).

“By supporting the Racehorse Health and Safety Act, the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association is reaffirming our dedication to a strong, transparent, and responsible racing environment that protects both our equine athletes and the integrity of the sport,” said OHHA President Scott Mogan.

Introduced by Rep. Clay Higgins (LA-03), Rep. Don Davis (NC-01), and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) in May, the RHSA is a bipartisan, bicameral effort to deliver a constitutional solution to safety regulation in the horse racing industry. The RHSA would establish an interstate compact to develop nationwide rules governing scientific medication control and racetrack safety for horse racing. It would replace the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020 (HISA), which has been found unconstitutional by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and awaits a decision on whether the Supreme Court will take up the case.

The legislation is backed by industry organizations representing tens of thousands of horsemen and is endorsed by the United States Trotting Association (USTA), National Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association (HBPA), and the North American Association of Racetrack Veterinarians (NAARV). The OHHA joins 26 other state and regional groups in support of the measure.

For more information on the RHSA, visit https://ustrottingnews.com/racehorse-health-safety-act-introduced-would-repeal-and-replace-hisa/.

From Wes Mayberry for the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association