HB2948

THE CONTEXT: The Arizona Constitution prohibits substantive law from being included in the general appropriations, capital outlay appropriations and supplemental appropriations bills. However, it is often necessary to make statutory and session law changes to effectuate the budget.

WHAT THE BILL DID: Makes statutory and session law changes relating to amusements necessary to implement the FY 2026 state budget.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to make the stated financial responsibility enforceable and keep public reporting on time. It would continues to require the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG), in FY 2026, to establish and collect, in addition to the amounts already authorized, a regulatory assessment from each commercial racing permittee in the amount of 0.5 percent of the amounts wagered, payable from pari-mutuel pools from in-state and out-of-state live and simulcast races, and would also allow the ADG, for race meetings in the years 2025 and 2026, to grant gate approval of all tested horses within 60 days of the race in which the horse is entered, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.