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Washington Horse Racing Commission declines to pick up 2026 HISA assessment, cites tight budget
Summary
At a special meeting March 27, the Washington Horse Racing Commission voted to decline paying the 2026 Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) assessment, saying the legislature’s $288,000 appropriation and projected revenues leave insufficient funds; commissioners will notify HISA and pursue grants or other offsets for tracks and horsemen.
The Washington Horse Racing Commission voted March 27 to decline paying the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) assessment for 2026, citing limited appropriations and revenue shortfalls.
"In my opinion, based on this, we cannot pay the HISA fees in full," Executive Secretary Amanda Benton told commissioners as she reviewed the agency’s fiscal projections and credits offered to Emerald Downs. Benton said the commission received a $288,000 general‑fund appropriation in ESSB 5998 (Section 717) for fiscal 2027 but had…
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