Sec. 6. 8 MRSA §275-N, as amended by PL 1999, c. 568, §1, is further amended to read:

§275-N. Limitations on off-track betting facilities

The commission may not allow interstate simulcasting or license any off-track betting facility for any calendar year unless during the preceding calendar year there were at least 150 race dates on which live racing actually was conducted at the commercial tracks. Interstate simulcasting always must be allowed at any commercial track that conducted at least 136 35 race dates during the immediately preceding calendar year or at an existing commercial track as defined in section 275-A, subsection 1, paragraph B at which at least 35 race dates were conducted during the immediately preceding year if the interstate simulcasting at the commercial track is conducted during the regular meeting. For the purposes of this section, any race date that the commission determines was canceled due to a natural or other disaster must be counted as a race date.

Sec. 7. 8 MRSA §285, sub-§3, ķA, as repealed and replaced by PL 1997, c. 735, §7, is amended to read:

A. Two persons representing commercial tracks licensees: one representing and recommended by each of the 2 commercial harness racing tracks licensees in the State;

SUMMARY

This bill amends the definition of a "commercial track" by deleting the different criteria that currently apply to areas with different populations. It also makes technical changes to make the use of this term consistent with the term "commercial licensee."