House panel backs resolution to repeal all state rules on now-outlawed ‘historical horse racing’ terminals
The House State Affairs Committee today voted unanimously to introduce a resolution repealing all state rules and regulations regarding “historical horse racing,” betting terminals that resemble slot machines and play snippets of the end of past horse races to determine whether the player wins or not. They're also called "instant racing" terminals.
The move comes as Idaho’s state Racing Commission, a division of the Idaho State Police, is scheduled to meet this afternoon and has on its agenda, “for discussion only,” creating new temporary rules for “regulations for location/operation – Historical Terminals.” The Idaho Statesman reported two days ago that the operators of Les Bois Park, the now-shuttered horse racetrack just west of Boise, believe they have a new argument that they can run the terminals legally, though the state Legislature outlawed them in 2015. The Legislature had legalized the machines two years earlier before seeing them in operation, but out of concern that the result looked much like slot machines – which the Idaho Constitution forbids – they repealed that law two years later.
Rep. Jason Monks, R-Nampa, told the committee, “This is appropriate at this time. We clean up statutes that are old, obsolete and no longer necessary, and this is all we’re asking to do here. This resolution is to delete the rules because the enacting legislation is no longer valid, so we don’t need the rules governing an activity that we don’t have any enacting legislation to allow.”
Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens, asked Monks if he’d considered proposing something to make all rules expire when their enacting legislation is repealed, and Monks said he likes the idea and would be willing to work with Barbieri on it in the future. The committee then voted unanimously to introduce the resolution.
House State Affairs Chairman Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, said after the meeting, “You know, you don’t have a law, you don’t have rules. … I think it’s just something that needs to be done.”
Asked about the Racing Commission’s meeting agenda, Loertscher said, “We’ll see if they really follow through with it. I’m going to be attending their meeting today. I really do appreciate what they’re trying to do to save the horse racing industry, they have my sympathies. However, they have to understand that they law does not allow that.”
“Before a rule is adopted, it’s got to be authorized by statute,” Loertscher said.
