SB1409 - Horse racing: charity days.

Amended IN Senate April 09, 2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 1409 Introduced by Senator Rubio February 20, 2026 An act to add Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 9450) to Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Government amend Section 19550 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to the Legislature. horse racing. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1409, as amended, Rubio. Legislature: bills. Horse racing: charity days. Existing law requires each licensed racing association that conducts 14 weeks or less of racing to designate 3 racing days, and each licensed racing association that conducts more than 14 weeks of racing to designate 5 racing days during any one meeting, to be conducted as charity days for the purpose of distributing the net proceeds to beneficiaries. This bill would instead require each licensed racing association that conducts 12 weeks or less of racing to designate 3 racing days, and each licensed racing association that conducts more than 12 weeks of racing to designate 5 racing days during any one meeting, to be conducted as charity days for the purpose of distributing the net proceeds to beneficiaries. The California Constitution vests the legislative power of the state in the Legislature, which consists of the Senate and Assembly. The Legislature may make law only by the enactment of a statute, and may enact a statute only by bill. This bill would require a bill introduced in the Legislature to be assigned a bill number that identifies the applicable legislative session, as provided. The bill would require the Secretary of the Senate, Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and Legislative Counsel Bureau to ensure that all legislative publications, indexes, journals, databases, and electronic systems use and display that bill number. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 19550 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 19550. (a) The board shall require each licensed racing association that conducts 14 or less weeks 12 weeks or less of racing to designate 3 racing days, and each licensed racing association that conducts more than 14 12 weeks of racing to designate five racing days during any one meeting, to be conducted as charity days by the licensee for the purpose of distribution of the net proceeds therefrom to beneficiaries through the distributing agent. For the purposes of this section, a split meeting shall be considered a single meeting and the appropriate number of charity days shall be based on the total weeks of racing allocated for both periods of the meeting. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) or any other provision of law, no a racing association shall not be required to pay to a distributing agent for the purpose of distribution to beneficiaries more than an amount equal to two-tenths of 1 percent of the association’s total on-track handle on live races conducted by the association at the meeting. (c) This section does not apply to a fair, or to a licensed racing association conducting three weeks of racing or less. SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares that the changes to bill numbering required by this act will improve public access, clarity, and transparency in California’s legislative recordkeeping. SEC. 2. Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 9450) is added to Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Government Code , to read: 4.5. Naming and Numbering of Bills 9450. (a) Every bill that is introduced in the Legislature shall be assigned a bill number that identifies the legislative session in which the bill is introduced. The legislative session shall precede the name of the house in which the bill was introduced according to the following format: (1) For a Senate bill, “[Name of the legislative session]—Senate Bill No. ____,” or “[Name of the legislative session]—SB ____.” (2) For an Assembly bill, “[Name of the legislative session]—Assembly Bill No. ____,” or “[Name of the legislative session]—AB ____.” (b) In the bill number, the name of the legislative session may be abbreviated, such as “2027–28 Reg. Sess.” or “2027–28 1st Ex. Sess.” 9451. (a) The Secretary of the Senate, the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and the Legislative Counsel Bureau shall ensure that all legislative publications, indexes, journals, databases, and electronic systems use and display a bill’s complete number pursuant to Section 9450. (b) The Secretary of the Senate, the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and the Legislative Counsel Bureau shall make any necessary technical and conforming changes to legislative systems and materials to implement the requirements of this chapter. 9452. This chapter applies to bills introduced during the 2027–28 Regular Session and any regular session thereafter, and to bills introduced during any special session commencing on or after January 1, 2027.