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SB 1296

Virginia Public-Private Safety Communications Infrastructure Fund; established.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Mark Obenshain

SB 1296 removes the mandatory public notice of standardbred disqualifications, while preserving the Department of Agriculture's investigations, hearings, and authority to disqualify.

Left in Finance and Appropriations
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Bill Summary · SB 1296

SB 1296 — HORSE RACE — STANDARDBRED (Summary)

  • Citation: Amendments to the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975 (230 ILCS 5/33.1)
  • Sponsor: Sen. Doris Turner
  • Introduced: Jan. 28, 2025
  • Current status (per file): Referred to Assignments / Rule 3‑9(a) (introduced version)
  • Effective date (introduced text): Immediately upon enactment

Purpose / Intent

SB 1296 eliminates a specific statutory requirement that the Illinois Department of Agriculture (Director or authorized agent) immediately publish public notice in standardbred-oriented publications when the Director determines that a standardbred stallion or its ownership arrangement is ineligible under the Act. The bill does not repeal the Department’s investigative, hearing, and disqualification authorities for the Standardbred and Thoroughbred programs; it removes only the mandatory publication duty described in Section 33.1.

Key Provisions

  • Retains the Department’s existing authorities to:
    • Investigate eligibility of stallions, mares, and Illinois‑conceived/foaled horses for program participation.
    • Conduct hearings, administer oaths, issue subpoenas, and make determinations subject to administrative/judicial review.
    • Disqualify animals and declare animals ineligible where willful violations or misstatements are found.
  • Removes the paragraph requiring immediate publication of notice (in publications devoted to standardbred news) when a determination is made that:
    • A standardbred stallion is not owned by an Illinois resident, or
    • A transfer of ownership is a subterfuge to qualify a stallion, or
    • An owner/manager/person associated knowingly participated in arranging transport of semen from a registered stallion out of state, — and announcing disqualification of the stallion or its foals.
  • Other procedural provisions (subpoena enforcement, witness fees, rulemaking authority, penalties for perjury, and rulemaking for enforcement) remain in the statute.

Who Is Affected

  • Directly: Illinois Department of Agriculture (administration and enforcement), owners/managers of standardbred stallions, breeders, and participants in Illinois Standardbred and Thoroughbred programs.
  • Indirectly: breeders, trainers, race organizers, and publications that report on standardbreds (because mandatory statutory publicity of disqualifications would be removed).

Potential Impact and Considerations

  • Transparency: Removing the mandatory publication requirement may reduce automatic public dissemination of disqualification findings to the standardbred community and industry publications; stakeholders may rely instead on agency releases, administrative orders, or judicial records.
  • Enforcement: The Department retains investigatory and disqualification powers; enforcement mechanics (hearings, subpoenas, eligibility restrictions) remain intact.
  • Industry practice: Affected parties should monitor Department communications and administrative decisions for notice of disqualifications that previously would have been published by statute.

Procedure / Timeline

  • Introduced Jan. 28, 2025 (Sen. Doris Turner). At introduction the bill was assigned to committee(s); further legislative action will determine final enactment. The introduced text indicated immediate effect if enacted.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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