Florida decoupling takes abrupt turn, moves back to House

The controversial proposal that would let Gulfstream Park decouple its racing and slot-machine licenses took an abrupt turn Tuesday when it was taken out of the Florida Senate and added to an existing House bill to create tighter gambling regulations and authorize daily fantasy sports.

Dozens of opponents who fear decoupling would end horse racing in South Florida suddenly had to move from one hearing room to another at the capitol complex in Tallahassee, Fla. Instead of being heard on its own in one Senate committee, the gist of the proposal was written into House bill 1467, which already was scheduled for a hearing in front of a separate panel.

“I know a lot of you are here for (the committee substitute) for Senate bill 408 on Thoroughbred permitholders,” said Jason Brodeur, who chairs the Senate appropriations committee on agriculture, environment and general government. “Show that bill temporarily postponed. We will not be hearing that bill today. If you traveled, I am sorry, but we will not be hearing that bill.”

The House commerce committee, which voted 15-7 in favor of decoupling on March 17, already had the revised bill as the last item on its agenda for its Tuesday meeting, which began at 1 p.m. EDT, less than a half-hour after Brodeur’s announcement.

“We’re calling audibles,” said former Kentucky state senator Damon Thayer, a senior advisor to the Thoroughbred Racing Initiative, which has rallied opposition to the proposal. “The day is not done, but the delay of the Senate version of the decoupling bill is good news. Our TRI coalition is now in the House commerce committee to oppose a decoupling amendment to the fantasy-sports bill. It’s too soon to spike the ball. We will fight on.”

One notable difference in the latest version of the proposal is that Gulfstream Park could not stop racing for at least six years. That is different from the five years in the previous House proposal and seven years in the Senate version that was tabled Tuesday.

“The bill requires Thoroughbred permitholders to give notice prior to ending live racing and to continue to offer a full schedule of live racing until the end of such notice period. The notice cannot be made prior to July 1, 2027, and the term of the notice must ensure that live racing continues for at least three years after the date of the notice. Thus, the earliest date that a Thoroughbred permitholder may elect to end live racing is July 1, 2030.”

Decoupling, which also would allow Tampa Bay Downs to split its racing and card-room licenses, has been pushed by The Stronach Group in its hopes to increase gaming revenue without being tied down by the requirement that it run at least 40 days of races per year.

The bigger bill was sponsored originally by Palm Beach-area Republican John Snyder and joined by Adam Anderson, the Republican from the Tampa Bay area who spearheaded the original decoupling proposal. Bill 1404, sponsored by Republican Corey Simon from Florida’s panhandle, is the companion proposal in the Senate.

Bill 1404, sponsored by Republican Corey Simon from Florida’s panhandle, is the companion proposal in the Senate. It actually was approved 12-0 by the very appropriations committee that tabled decoupling Wednesday, but it did not contain any of the revisions being considered in the House.

The Florida legislative session runs through May 2.