Subcommittee adopts substitute for HB 1742 to split historical-racing funds between Shenandoah and Great Meadow; increases problem-gambling fund

Chair Paul Kreizek opened the House ABC gaming subcommittee and asked patrons to introduce bills. Delegate Delia Reid, patron of House Bill 1742, introduced a posted substitute that combines two proposed uses of historical horse-racing proceeds: funding for harness racing at the Shenandoah County Fairgrounds and maintenance at Great Meadow, which hosts the Gold Cup.

The substitute combined the two measures to free an additional bill from the subcommittee docket and adjusted percentage allocations. "Instead of asking for an allocation of 0.025, instead we're asking for 0.0125 which is half as much," Delegate Delia Reid said, explaining the change was intended to ensure organizations receiving new funds could spend them responsibly and avoid waste.

Reid also said the substitute increases the share directed to problem-gambling treatment and the related support fund: "in line 159 and in line 174, we have changed that from 0.01% to 0.025%." Committee counsel explained that the substitute adds language naming the Shenandoah County Fair Association and Great Meadow Foundation "to support the promotion, education, maintenance, and safety of horse racing," and committee members asked whether a recipient that stopped holding racing would continue to receive funds. Committee counsel and Delegate Reid discussed adding a limiting phrase such as "for as long as they are conducting harness racing" if the panel wanted to make that explicit.

Representatives who spoke in favor included James Turpin of Virginia for Safer Gambling, who noted the increase to the problem-gambling fund was positive, and Susan Gaston on behalf of the Shenandoah County Fairgrounds Association, who said the association "very much support[s] the bill." Jonathan Williams of the Virginia Equine Alliance also voiced support.

Committee members asked staff to clarify the dollar implications. Reid said that 0.025 currently generates about $1.2 million per year for the organizations that receive that slice; cutting the requested share to 0.0125 would yield roughly $600,000 each for Great Meadow and the Shenandoah Fairgrounds under current proceeds, and the smaller allocation was chosen because "anytime that you introduce a large amount of money into an organization that has not received that money before, there's an opportunity for waste to occur."

The subcommittee adopted the posted substitute by voice and later moved to "report and refer" the bill to the Appropriations Committee. The clerk recorded the roll as 8–0 to report and refer to Appropriations. The bill will advance to the full committee stage.

Votes at a glance: HB 1742 — Substitute adopted by voice; motion to report and refer to Appropriations passed 8–0.