Bill Text: FL S0742 | 2014 | Regular Session | Engrossed


Bill Title: Racing Animals

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-1)

Status: (Failed) 2014-05-02 - Died in Messages [S0742 Detail]

Download: Florida-2014-S0742-Engrossed.html
       CS for SB 742                                    First Engrossed
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       2014742e1
       
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to racing animals; providing a short
    3         title; amending s. 550.2415, F.S.; revising the
    4         prohibition on the use of medication or drugs on
    5         animals; revising penalties for such use; revising
    6         procedures for testing animals for medication or
    7         drugs; requiring the Division of Pari-mutuel Wagering
    8         within the Department of Business and Professional
    9         Regulation to maintain records of greyhounds injured
   10         while racing; providing for the content of such
   11         records; providing fines for making false statements
   12         on an injury form; providing an effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. This act shall be known as the “Victoria Q.
   17  Gaetz Animal Rights Act.”
   18         Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1), paragraphs (a)
   19  and (b) of subsection (3), and subsections (4) and (5) of
   20  section 550.2415, Florida Statutes, are amended, and paragraph
   21  (f) is added to subsection (6) of that section, to read:
   22         550.2415 Racing of animals under certain conditions
   23  prohibited; penalties; exceptions.—
   24         (1)(a) The racing of an animal that has been impermissibly
   25  medicated or drugged with any drug, medication, stimulant,
   26  depressant, hypnotic, narcotic, local anesthetic, or drug
   27  masking agent is prohibited. It is a violation of this section
   28  for a person to impermissibly medicate or drug an animal
   29  resulting administer or cause to be administered any drug,
   30  medication, stimulant, depressant, hypnotic, narcotic, local
   31  anesthetic, or drug-masking agent to an animal which will result
   32  in a positive test for such substance based on samples taken
   33  from the animal immediately prior to or immediately after the
   34  racing of that animal. Test results and the identities of the
   35  animals being tested and of their trainers and owners of record
   36  are confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and from s. 24(a),
   37  Art. I of the State Constitution for 10 days after testing of
   38  all samples collected on a particular day has been completed and
   39  any positive test results derived from such samples have been
   40  reported to the director of the division or administrative
   41  action has been commenced.
   42         (3)(a) Upon the finding of a violation of this section, the
   43  division may revoke or suspend the license or permit of the
   44  violator or deny a license or permit to the violator; impose a
   45  fine against the violator in an amount not exceeding the purse
   46  or sweepstakes earned by the animal in the race at issue or
   47  $10,000, whichever is greater $5,000; require the full or
   48  partial return of the purse, sweepstakes, and trophy of the race
   49  at issue; or impose against the violator any combination of such
   50  penalties. The finding of a violation of this section in no way
   51  prohibits a prosecution for criminal acts committed.
   52         (b) The division, notwithstanding the provisions of chapter
   53  120, may summarily suspend the license of an occupational
   54  licensee responsible under this section or division rule for the
   55  condition of a race animal if the division laboratory reports
   56  the presence of a prohibited an impermissible substance in the
   57  animal or its blood, urine, saliva, or any other bodily fluid,
   58  either before a race in which the animal is entered or after a
   59  race the animal has run.
   60         (4) A prosecution pursuant to this section for a violation
   61  of this section must be commenced within 180 days 2 years after
   62  the violation was committed. Service of an administrative
   63  complaint marks the commencement of administrative action.
   64         (5) The division shall implement a split-sample procedure
   65  for testing animals under this section. Each urine and blood
   66  sample shall be split into a primary sample and a secondary
   67  (split) sample upon collection, under rules adopted by the
   68  division. The division shall transfer custody of the primary
   69  sample to the division laboratory, with custody of the split
   70  sample to remain with the division except as provided in this
   71  subsection.
   72         (a) Upon finding a positive drug test result, The division
   73  department shall notify the owner or trainer, the stewards, and
   74  the horsemen’s association of all drug test the results. The
   75  owner may request that each urine and blood sample be split into
   76  a primary sample and a secondary (split) sample. Such splitting
   77  must be accomplished in the laboratory under rules approved by
   78  the division. Custody of both samples must remain with the
   79  division. In the event of a positive test result However, upon
   80  request by the affected trainer or owner of the animal from
   81  which the sample was obtained, the division shall send the split
   82  sample to an approved independent laboratory for analysis. The
   83  division shall establish standards and rules for uniform
   84  enforcement and shall maintain a list of at least five approved
   85  independent laboratories for an owner or trainer to select from
   86  in the event of a positive test result sample.
   87         (b) If the division state laboratory’s findings are not
   88  confirmed by the independent laboratory, no further
   89  administrative or disciplinary action under this section may be
   90  pursued. The division may adopt rules identifying substances
   91  that diminish in a blood or urine sample due to passage of time
   92  and that must be taken into account in applying this section.
   93         (c) If the independent laboratory confirms the division
   94  state laboratory’s positive result, or if there is an
   95  insufficient quantity of the secondary (split) sample for
   96  confirmation of the state laboratory’s positive result, the
   97  division may commence administrative proceedings as prescribed
   98  in this chapter and consistent with chapter 120. For purposes of
   99  this subsection, the department shall in good faith attempt to
  100  obtain a sufficient quantity of the test fluid to allow both a
  101  primary test and a secondary test to be made. If there is an
  102  insufficient quantity of the split sample for confirmation of
  103  the division laboratory’s positive result, the division may not
  104  take further action on the matter against the owner or trainer,
  105  and any resulting license suspension must be immediately lifted.
  106         (d) The division shall require its laboratory and the
  107  independent laboratories to annually participate in an
  108  externally administered quality assurance program designed to
  109  assess testing proficiency in the detection and appropriate
  110  quantification of medications, drugs, and naturally occurring
  111  substances that may be administered to racing animals. The
  112  administrator of the quality assurance program shall report its
  113  results and findings to the division.
  114         (6)
  115         (f)1. The division shall maintain records regarding
  116  injuries incurred by racing greyhounds while they are racing in
  117  this state, including injuries incurred in schooling races. The
  118  records must include:
  119         a. The greyhound’s registered name, right and left ear
  120  tattoo numbers, and, if any, the microchip manufacturer and
  121  number.
  122         b. The name, business address, and telephone number of the
  123  greyhound owner and trainer and the kennel operator.
  124         c. The color, weight, and sex of the greyhound.
  125         d. The location where the injury took place, whether on a
  126  racetrack or in another area.
  127         e. If the injury occurred while the greyhound was racing,
  128  the racetrack where the injury occurred and the distance, grade,
  129  race, and post position of the greyhound when the injury
  130  occurred.
  131         f. The weather conditions, time, and track condition when
  132  the injury occurred.
  133         g. The specific type and bodily location of injury, the
  134  cause of the injury, and the estimated recovery time from the
  135  injury.
  136         2. All injury forms shall be completed and signed under
  137  oath or affirmation under penalty of perjury by the racetrack
  138  veterinarian, whose signature must be witnessed by a designated
  139  representative of the division.
  140         3. Injury records created and maintained under this
  141  paragraph shall be maintained by the division for a period of 7
  142  years and shall be made readily available to the public upon
  143  oral or written request to the division.
  144         4. Knowingly making a false statement on an injury form
  145  shall result in a fine not to exceed $1,500. A second or
  146  subsequent violation of this paragraph shall result in a fine of
  147  at least $3,000.
  148         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014.

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