19615. (a) The board shall provide a method for estimating the aggregate handle for each association’s proposed race meeting. Estimates may be revised during the course of the meeting. Based upon the estimate, each association shall pay its license fee weekly, and purses shall be reasonably allocated over the period of the association’s anticipated race meeting pursuant to a purse program developed by the association in consultation with the horsemen’s organization contracting with the association with respect to the conduct of racing meetings subject to approval of the board.
(b) Within seven days after the close of a race meeting, an association shall pay any license fee theretofore unpaid, or shall have refunded to it any excess license fee theretofore paid.
(c) If, at the close of a thoroughbred racing meeting, it is determined that the association conducting the meeting has not made payments to or for the benefit of owners and breeders of horses in an amount equaling the percentages set forth in this chapter, any excess shall be deducted from, and any deficiency not in excess of an amount agreed upon between the association and the horsemen’s organization contracting with the association with respect to the conduct of racing meetings shall be added to, the amount the association is required to pay to or for the benefit of owners and breeders of horses at its racing meeting in the following calendar year. Any deficiency in excess of the amount agreed upon shall be distributed as provided in the agreement.
(d) If, at the close of any other racing meeting, it is determined that the association conducting the meeting has not made payments to or for the benefit of owners and breeders of horses in an amount equaling the percentages set forth in this chapter, any excess shall be deducted from, and any deficiency shall be added to, the amount the association is required to pay to or for the benefit of owners and breeders of horses at its racing meeting in the following calendar year.
(e) Any two associations conducting a meeting pursuant to Section 19612 or 19612.6 may, with the approval of the board, combine their excesses or deficiencies from prior meetings if the associations and the organizations representing the horsemen all agree.
(f) Any associations conducting a harness meeting in the northern zone, including an association conducting any meeting pursuant to Section 19549.3, may, with the approval of the board, combine their excesses or deficiencies from prior meetings if the associations and the organizations representing horsemen all agree.
(Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 139, Sec. 2. Effective July 22, 1991.)