Bill
HB 3941
Provides $5,072,100 from the Horse Racing Fund to fund the Illinois Racing Board’s operations for FY 2026, including purse augmentation when ordered.
Status and sponsor
- Introduced by Rep. Robyn Gabel (primary) — first reading 02/25/2025; filed with Clerk 03/06/2025.
- Key procedural milestones: Referred to Rules Committee (02/25/2025); later referred to Human Services (03/27/2025); reported out of committee as substituted (04/25/2025); placed on the General State Calendar (05/15/2025).
- Effective date (if enacted): July 1, 2025.
Purpose
- This bill makes an appropriation to fund the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Illinois Racing Board for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025. It specifies line-item amounts payable from the Horse Racing Fund (classified as Other State Funds).
Key provisions and dollar amounts
- Total appropriation: $5,072,100 (Other State Funds — Horse Racing Fund).
- Detailed line items:
- Personal Services: $1,494,000
- State Contributions to State Employees’ Retirement System: $761,500
- State Contributions to Social Security: $107,900
- Group Insurance: $354,000
- Contractual Services: $213,500
- Travel: $18,500
- Commodities: $1,800
- Equipment: $2,300
- Electronic Data Processing: $22,000
- Telecommunications Services: $52,000
- Operation of Auto Equipment: $5,500
- Refunds: $1,000
- Laboratory Program expenses: $563,100
- Regulation and Promotion of Racing Program (including, when ordered by the Board, augmentation of licensee purse accounts to be used exclusively for purse awards when funds are available): $1,475,000
Who is affected / likely impact
- Directly funds the Illinois Racing Board’s operations for FY 2026 (fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025). That includes Board staff payroll and benefits, laboratory testing functions, regulatory and promotional activities, and limited discretionary purse augmentation for licensed racing organizations.
- Impacts stakeholders in the horse-racing industry (track operators, licensees, and participants) to the extent Board-directed purse augmentations are made.
- Funded from the Horse Racing Fund (other state funds) — no new tax or revenue source is created by the bill.
Additional notes
- The appropriation is specific and line-itemized; it does not change regulatory law or create new program authorities beyond permitting the Board to use funds to augment purses “when so ordered.”
- The bill’s enactment is tied to the standard state fiscal cycle (effective July 1, 2025).
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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