Illinois SB 3233: HORSE RACING-VARIOUS

Bill Text

Full Text of SB3233 

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 Illinois General Assembly

 ILGA.GOV 

 SB3233 - 104th General Assembly 

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY 
State of Illinois 
2025 and 2026
SB3233

Introduced 2/2/2026, by Sen. Bill Cunningham 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

See Index

 Amends the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975. Provides that the Illinois Racing Board, in lieu of obtaining a court reporter to make accurate transcriptions at each regular and special meeting and proceeding, shall create a verbatim record of each regular and special meeting in the form of an audio or video recording, unless an emergency situation precludes the creation of a transcript or recording. Allows the Board to refuse an occupation license to any person for any other just cause. Requires an applicant for an employment position as a pari-mutuel clerk, parking attendant, or security guard to include in the application whether the applicant has ever been convicted of any theft, fraud, wagering during the course of employment, touting, bookmaking, or any other act which is detrimental to the best interests of racing. Requires a licensee to forward a copy of the application form to the Board prior to extending an offer of employment to an applicant (rather than upon its decision to hire the applicant) and certify that it has checked the applicant's background. Removes language requiring the Board's review of an applicant to include an inquiry. Provides that no organization license may be granted to conduct a horse race meeting to any person who does not, at the time of application for the organization license, have plans certified by a licensed architect and confirmed financing for construction of a race track suitable for the type of racing intended to be held by the applicant and for the accommodation of the public on property that the applicant owns or has a contract or lease for possession of with completion scheduled before the meet applied for begins. Requires an application to conduct a horse race meeting to be delivered with a certified check or bank draft payable to the order of the Board for $10,000 (rather than $1,000). Allows the Board to impose civil penalties of up to $10,000 (rather than $5,000) for individuals and up to $25,000 (rather than $10,000) against licensees for each violation of the Act. Makes conforming and other changes. Effective immediately.

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A BILL FOR

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1 AN ACT concerning gaming.

2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 

3represented in the General Assembly:

4 Section 5. The Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975 is 

5amended by changing Sections 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 15.3, 

616, 19, 20, 24, 26, 27.2, 31.1, and 40 as follows:

7 (230 ILCS 5/6) (from Ch. 8, par. 37-6)

8 Sec. 6. Restrictions on Board members. 

9 (a) No person shall be appointed a member of the Board or 

10continue to be a member of the Board if the person or any 

11member of the person's their immediate family is a member of 

12the Board of Directors, employee, or financially interested in 

13any of the following: (i) any licensee or other person who has 

14applied for racing dates to the Board, or the operations 

15thereof including, but not limited to, concessions, data 

16processing, track maintenance, track security, and pari-mutuel 

17operations, located, scheduled or doing business within the 

18State of Illinois, (ii) any race horse competing at a meeting 

19under the Board's jurisdiction, or (iii) any licensee under 

20the Illinois Gambling Act. 

21 (b) No person shall be a member of the Board who is not of 

22good moral character or who has been convicted of, or is under 

23indictment for, a felony under the laws of Illinois or any 

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1other state, or the United States.

2 (c) No member of the Board or employee shall engage in any 

3political activity.

4 For the purposes of this subsection (c):

5 "Political" means any activity in support of or in 

6connection with any campaign for State or local elective 

7office or any political organization, but does not include 

8activities (i) relating to the support or opposition of any 

9executive, legislative, or administrative action (as those 

10terms are defined in Section 2 of the Lobbyist Registration 

11Act), (ii) relating to collective bargaining, or (iii) that 

12are otherwise in furtherance of the person's official State 

13duties or governmental and public service functions.

14 "Political organization" means a party, committee, 

15association, fund, or other organization (whether or not 

16incorporated) that is required to file a statement of 

17organization with the State Board of Elections or county clerk 

18under Section 9-3 of the Election Code, but only with regard to 

19those activities that require filing with the State Board of 

20Elections or county clerk. 

21 (d) Board members and employees may not engage in 

22c