PRINTER'S NO. 608
No. 556 Session of 1971
INTRODUCED BY MESSRS. O'BRIEN AND MUSTO, MARCH 29, 1971
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON URBAN AFFAIRS, MARCH 29, 1971
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of December 22, 1959 (P.L.1978), entitled, as
2 amended, "An act providing for and regulating harness racing
3 with pari-mutuel wagering on the results thereof; creating
4 the State Harness Racing Commission as a departmental
5 administrative commission within the Department of
6 Agriculture and defining its powers and duties; providing for
7 the establishment and operation of harness racing plants
8 subject to local option; imposing taxes on revenues of such
9 plants; disposing of all moneys received by the commission
10 and all moneys collected from the taxes; authorizing
11 penalties; and making appropriations," imposing an additional
12 tax for school purposes in certain school districts.
13 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
14 hereby enacts as follows:
15 Section 1. Section 15, act of December 22, 1959 (P.L.1978),
16 entitled, as amended, "An act providing for and regulating
17 harness racing with pari-mutuel wagering on the results thereof;
18 creating the State Harness Racing Commission as a departmental
19 administrative commission within the Department of Agriculture
20 and defining its powers and duties; providing for the
21 establishment and operation of harness racing plants subject to
22 local option; imposing taxes on revenues of such plants;
23 disposing of all moneys received by the commission and all
1 moneys collected from the taxes; authorizing penalties; and
2 making appropriations," amended August 7, 1969 (P.L.225), is
3 amended to read:
4 Section 15. Disposition of Pari-mutuel Pools.--Every
5 corporation authorized under this act to conduct pari-mutuel
6 betting at a harness horse race meeting on races run thereat
7 shall distribute all sums deposited in any pari-mutuel pool to
8 the holders of winning tickets therein, provided such tickets be
9 presented for payment before April first of the year following
10 the year of their purchase, less fifteen per centum of the total
11 deposits plus the breaks, and as to harness horse race meetings
12 held within school districts of the first class during the years
13 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1971 less
14 seventeen per centum of the total desposits plus the breaks, and
15 as to harness horse race meetings held within school districts
16 of the second class during the year 1971 and thereafter less
17 seventeen per centum of the total deposits plus the breaks. At
18 the close of each racing day, the permit holder out of the
19 amount retained on said day by said permit holder, shall pay,
20 through the Department of Revenue into the State Treasury for
21 credit to the State Harness Racing Fund, a tax of five per
22 centum of the amount wagered each day, which tax is hereby
23 imposed, and as to harness horse race meetings held within
24 school districts of the first class during the years 1963, 1964,
25 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1971 the permit holder
26 shall pay the school district in which the harness horse race
27 meeting is held a tax of two per centum of the amount wagered
28 each day, which tax is hereby imposed for general school
29 purposes and as to harness horse race meetings held within
30 school districts of the second class during the year 1971 and
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1 thereafter the permit holder shall pay the school district, in
2 which the harness horse race meeting is held, or if in a
3 reorganized school district, then to the unit of that district
4 in which such meeting is held, a tax of two per centum of the
5 amount wagered each day, which tax is hereby imposed for school
6 purposes, and as to other permit holders, a tax of two per
7 centum of the amount wagered each day is imposed and shall be
8 paid to the Department of Commerce to be distributed by the
9 Secretary of Commerce to eligible boroughs having a population
10 of less than ten thousand, eligible townships having a
11 population of less than twelve thousand, each of their
12 municipality authorities, or county authorities authorized to
13 service the borough or township, for projects providing for the
14 construction, rehabilitation, alteration, expansion, or
15 improvement of water facilities, sewage disposal facilities and
16 access roads, in amounts not to exceed twenty-five per centum of
17 the cost thereof, in accordance with regulations promulgated by
18 the Secretary of Commerce and approved by the Governor. No
19 distribution shall be made in connection with any project unless
20 it is determined that the project:
21 (1) Is not in conflict with programs of other departments of
22 the Commonwealth;
23 (2) Is not inconsistent with an existing development plan
24 for the municipality;
25 (3) Could not otherwise be financed;
26 (4) Will either strengthen the income-producing capability
27 of the municipality, or improve the health and safety of the
28 community; and
29 (5) Is necessary to orderly community development.
30 In addition, each permit holder shall be allowed to retain
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1 the odd cents of all redistribution to be made on all mutuel
2 contributions exceeding a sum equal to the next lowest multiple
3 of ten, subject to a tax of fifty per centum of the total sum of
4 such odd cents, which tax is hereby imposed and shall be paid by
5 the permit holder to the Department of Revenue for credit to the
6 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Funds, which fund is hereby
7 appropriated to the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission for
8 distribution in accordance with the terms of this act.
9 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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