ARTICLE 6.5. Fairs and Expositions [19540. - 19549.17.]

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC 6.5.
in effect

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 19540. Section 19540.

In order to encourage and develop the racing of all horses in California, regardless of breed, whenever a fair conducts a program of horse races on which there is parimutuel wagering, the fair, so far as practicable, shall provide a program of racing that includes thoroughbred racing, quarter horse racing, Arabian racing, and Appaloosa racing, if a sufficient number of horses is available to provide competition in one or more races.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 19546. Section 19546.

(a) In order to encourage and develop the racing of all horses in California, regardless of breed, whenever a fair conducts a program of parimutuel wagering, it may provide a program of mixed breed racing that includes thoroughbred racing, harness racing, quarter horse racing, Arabian racing, paint racing, Appaloosa racing, steeplechase races, barrel races, and show jumping races. (b) All recognized breeds of horses may compete in barrel races, show jumping races, and steeplechase races. Parimutuel wagering may be conducted on barrel races, show jumping races, and steeplechase races at any public or private facility that has been approved and licensed by the board.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 19548. Section 19548.

Except as provided in this chapter, no license, tax, or fee shall be assessed against or collected from any fair which, directly and not through any private person, conducts a horse racing meeting.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 19549. Section 19549.

Except as provided in Section 19549.1, the maximum number of racing weeks that may be allocated to a fair shall be four weeks each year. The board shall take public testimony and make all determinations on the allocation of racing dates during a public hearing. All discussions of allocating racing dates by the board or its subcommittees shall be conducted during a public hearing. Nothing in this section diminishes the authority of the board to establish racing dates.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 19549.1. Section 19549.1.

Notwithstanding Sections 19533 and 19549 or any other provision of this chapter, the board may allocate horse racing days for mixed breed meetings and combined fair horse racing meetings pursuant to Section 4058 of the Food and Agricultural Code. Days may not be allocated for a mixed breed meeting or a combined fair horse racing meeting during the month of June at the California Exposition and State Fair if a standardbred meeting is being conducted at that facility during the month of June.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 19549.2. Section 19549.2.

From the weeks available for harness and quarter horse racing pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 19531, the board may allocate a maximum of 12 weeks of harness racing to the 22nd District Agricultural Association to be conducted on the 22nd District Agricultural Association grounds. The racing shall be conducted by a person other than the 22nd District Agricultural Association.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 19549.4. Section 19549.4.

Notwithstanding Section 19414.5, the board may allocate racing weeks consisting of fewer than five days to an association conducting harness or quarter horse racing meetings if the association and the organization representing the horsemen participating in the meeting agree to the allocation.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 19549.6. Section 19549.6.

Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 19531 and Sections 19540, 19546, and 19549, the board may allocate additional weeks of harness racing to the California Exposition and State Fair in Sacramento or its lessee, to be raced at the California Exposition and State Fair in Sacramento.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 19549.7. Section 19549.7.

Notwithstanding paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 19531 and Section 19549, the board may allocate additional weeks of quarter horse racing to a lessee of the California Exposition and State Fair in Sacramento to be raced at the California Exposition and State Fair in Sacramento.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 19549.9. Section 19549.9.

Notwithstanding paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 19531 and Section 19549, the board may allocate up to 10 additional weeks of harness racing to the Los Angeles County Fair, or its lessee, to be raced at the fairgrounds in Pomona.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 19549.12. Section 19549.12.

Notwithstanding Sections 19482 and 19549, any weeks of harness racing or quarter horse racing allocated by the board to be raced at the facilities of a county fair that conducts its racing meeting pursuant to Section 19549.3 may be conducted by the fair.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 19549.13. Section 19549.13.

(a) Fairs that conduct racing meetings in the northern zone may, and horsemen’s organizations that represent horsemen who participate at fair racing meetings in the northern zone shall, jointly develop a program to provide for stabling and training facilities. This program shall be based on the anticipated inventory of horses and the number of available stalls and locations. (b) Participating fairs and horsemen’s organizations shall annually ratify an agreement which includes provisions governing the operation of the stabling and training facilities. The agreement shall also specify the conditions under which a participating fair may terminate its participation in the program. (c) Individual horsemen who elect to participate in the program shall be required to sign standard agreements with the participating fair governing the operation of the program. The agreements shall contain provisions that govern the operation of the program, including, but not be limited to, insurance coverage and payment of a security deposit. (d) All agreements provided for in this section shall be approved by the board. (e) Each fair that conducts racing meetings in the northern zone may elect whether to participate in the stabling and training program.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 19549.14. Section 19549.14.

(a) Notwithstanding, Section 19489 or any other provision of this chapter, the board may permit the San Mateo County Fair to conduct live racing meetings at another site within or outside San Mateo County if its present site, Bay Meadows, closes. (b) Live horse racing meetings conducted by the San Mateo County Fair, whether they are conducted within or outside of San Mateo County, shall be subject to the same provisions as are presently applicable to the San Mateo County Fair’s conduct of live horse racing meetings at Bay Meadows. (c) If the racing association licensed in the year 2002 to conduct thoroughbred race meetings in San Mateo County is not licensed to conduct a horse racing meeting in that county in any subsequent year, the San Mateo County Fair may, subject to the approval of the board, conduct its racing dates at a facility operated by a thoroughbred racing association or fair licensed to conduct a meeting in the northern zone.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 19549.15. Section 19549.15.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 19489 or any other provision of this chapter, the board may permit the Solano County Fair to conduct live racing meetings at another site within or outside Solano County, if the site of its 2002 racing meeting is no longer available for horse racing in any subsequent year. Further, subject to the approval of the board, the Solano County Fair may conduct its racing dates at a facility operated by a thoroughbred racing association or fair licensed to conduct a racing meeting in the northern zone. (b) Any racing meeting licensed to the fair pursuant to subdivision (a) may be operated by the fair or the fair may contract for the operation and management of the racing meeting with an individual thoroughbred racing association or fair, or a partnership, joint venture, or other affiliation of one or more thoroughbred racing associations or fairs.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 19549.16. Section 19549.16.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, the board may allocate racing days, pursuant to this article, to a fair in the northern zone to be conducted by the fair or, at the request of the fair, the board may license a racing association that was licensed by the board to conduct racing meetings in California prior to 2010 to conduct live horse racing at the fair during the dates allocated to the fair by the board. (b) The live horse racing days, whether they are conducted by the fair or the racing association contracting with the fair, shall be subject to the same provisions of law as are presently applicable to a fair race meeting in the northern zone.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 19549.17. Section 19549.17.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, the board may permit the Los Angeles County Fair to conduct live racing meetings at another site within or outside the County of Los Angeles. Subject to approval of the board, the Los Angeles County Fair may conduct its racing dates at a facility operated by a thoroughbred racing association licensed to conduct a racing meeting in the southern zone. (b) A racing meeting licensed to the fair pursuant to subdivision (a) may be operated by the fair, or the fair may contract for the operation and management of the racing meeting with an individual racing association that was previously licensed to conduct a racing meeting.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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