House Bill 2625 to tighten horse-racing background checks passes Agriculture & Rural Affairs committee

The Agriculture & Rural Affairs committee passed House Bill 2625 (Printer's No. 3586), advancing changes to fingerprinting and background-check requirements for workers and license applicants in the horse-racing industry, Chairman Pyshinsky said.

The bill, introduced by Representative Dougherty, amends Title 3, Chapter 93 (Pennsylvania's Racehorse Industry Reform Act) to clarify that an "applicant" includes people seeking licenses related to care or training of horses, racing activities, wagering, security and management of licensed racing entities. A committee staff member read the summary, which said the measure modernizes fingerprinting and background-check procedures to comply with FBI requirements.

Representative Dougherty told the committee the legislation is intended to strengthen oversight and integrity within Pennsylvania's horse-racing industry by ensuring individuals in sensitive racing-related positions undergo criminal background checks. "So this is just really about fingerprinting," Dougherty said. He added that the Pennsylvania State Police would transmit fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and that "this legislation has been requested by the FBI and is supported by the administration."

There were no questions from committee members. Chairman Pyshinsky noted "there is no negative votes" and declared the bill passed; the record shows the committee did not take a roll call vote at the meeting. No amendments or formal motions were recorded in the transcript.

The meeting then concluded with brief thanks from the chair and congratulations to Representative Dougherty. The transcript does not record the bill's next procedural step beyond the committee's passage.