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Committee backs creation of Louisiana Equestrian Corporation to boost training capacity and industry growth
Summary
Lawmakers approved a bill creating a nonprofit Louisiana Equestrian Corporation aimed at preserving equestrian history and expanding training and stall capacity after members cited stall shortages and industry growth goals.
The House Committee on Commerce advanced legislation that would create the Louisiana Equestrian Corporation, a nonprofit entity intended to preserve equestrian heritage and support expansion of training and stall capacity in the state.
House Bill 593, sponsored by Representative Boyer, would establish the corporation’s purpose, governance, powers and dissolution procedures. Representative Boyer said the corporation would help address capacity issues and promote “economic development and fostering collaboration between public and private sectors.”
Committee members and industry witnesses described a capacity shortage that informed the bill. Representative Boyer and John Duvio, testifying for thoroughbred breeders and the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, said a recent application surge demonstrated the need: the testimony said Evangeline Downs had roughly 700 stalls but received over 1,000 stall applications, and that an existing training center has roughly “between 2 and 300 stalls.” Duvio said the state is “behind Kentucky, but we’re gaining,” and framed the legislation as part of an effort to grow a roughly $2,000,000,000 industry toward $3,000,000,000.
Representative Jordan asked whether the corporation would help develop larger events or race venues. In response, John Duvio said the enabling legislation could contribute to making Louisiana “a centerpiece in Louisiana to be used for all aspects” of equine activity and that “this bill, plus with the bill that was before, are aimed at helping Louisiana’s $2,000,000,000 economic industry to get to $3,000,000,000.”
Committee members adopted technical amendment set 22,604 and then moved HB 593 favorably; Representative St. Blunt (motion) and others voiced support and no objections were recorded on voice consent. The bill was reported favorably by the committee and will proceed to the next legislative stage.
The transcript records the committee-level vote by voice/consent with no roll-call recorded in the hearing. Testimony focused on stall shortages, breeding capacity and economic development rather than specific funding mechanisms in the bill.
