Withholding of additional one percent of gross receipts—Payment to owners—Interest payment on one percent and amount retained by commission—Reimbursement for new racetracks.
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of chapter 67.16 RCW to the contrary, the licensee shall withhold and shall pay daily to the commission, in addition to the percentages authorized by RCW 67.16.105, one percent of the gross receipts of all parimutuel machines at each race meet which sums shall, at the end of each meet, be paid by the commission to the licensed owners of those Washington bred only horses finishing first, second, third, and fourth at each meet from which the additional one percent is derived in accordance with an equitable distribution formula to be promulgated by the commission prior to the commencement of each race meet: PROVIDED, That nothing in this section shall apply to race meets which are nonprofit in nature, are of ten days or less, and have an average daily handle of less than one hundred twenty thousand dollars.
(2) The additional one percent specified in subsection (1) of this section shall be deposited by the commission in the Washington horse racing commission Washington bred owners' bonus fund and breeder awards account created in RCW 67.16.275. The interest derived from this account shall be distributed annually on an equal basis to those race courses at which independent race meets are held which are nonprofit in nature and are of ten days or less. Prior to receiving a payment under this subsection, any new race course shall meet the qualifications set forth in this section for a period of two years. All funds distributed under this subsection shall be used for the purpose of maintaining and upgrading the respective racing courses and equine quartering areas of said nonprofit meets.
(3) The commission shall not permit the licensees to take into consideration the benefits derived from this section in establishing purses.
(4) The commission is authorized to pay at the end of the calendar year one-half of the one percent collected from a new licensee under subsection (1) of this section for reimbursement of capital construction of that new licensee's new racetrack for a period of fifteen years. This reimbursement does not include interest earned on that one-half of one percent and such interest shall continue to be collected and disbursed as provided in RCW 67.16.101 and subsection (1) of this section.
[ 2009 c 87 s 1; 2004 c 246 s 6; 2001 c 53 s 1; 1991 c 270 s 5; 1982 c 132 s 5; 1979 c 31 s 3; 1977 ex.s. c 372 s 2; 1969 ex.s. c 233 s 3.]
NOTES:
Effective date—2004 c 246: See note following RCW 67.16.270.
Severability—1982 c 132: See note following RCW 67.16.010.
Severability—1977 ex.s. c 372: See note following RCW 67.16.101.