Representative Lance Gooden (R-TX-05) introduced legislation in the United States House of Representatives Tuesday that would delay the implementation date of the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) from July 1, 2022, to Jan. 1, 2024.
“I speak for all our membership, whose livelihood is determined by horse racing, when I say introduction of this legislation is a welcomed bit of common sense,” said Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA). “HISA's implementation so far has been inconsistent, contradictory, confusing, burdensome, and plagued by a failure to understand real world conditions. A reasonable pause giving horsemen in Texas and across the country time to work with HISA to fix these problems before any further harm is done serves everyone's interest. We thank Representative Gooden for taking this first step.”
“The Authority has created uncertainty and harmed the horseracing industry,” said Rep. Gooden. “State governments are best equipped to regulate their respective horse racing industries and I will not stand idly by while the federal government once again pushes a one-size-fits-all approach.”
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