The legislature finds that:

     (1) A primary responsibility of the horse racing commission is the encouragement of the training and development of the equine industry in the state of Washington whether the result of this training and development results in legalized horse racing or in the recreational use of horses;

     (2) The horse racing commission has a further major responsibility to assure that any facility used as a race course should be maintained and upgraded to insure the continued safety of both the public and the horse at any time the facility is used for the training or contesting of these animals;

     (3) Nonprofit race meets within the state have difficulty in obtaining sufficient funds to provide the maintenance and upgrading necessary to assure this safety at these facilities, or to permit frequent use of these facilities by 4-H children or other horse owners involved in training; and

     (4) The one percent of the parimutuel machine gross receipts used to pay a special purse to the licensed owners of Washington bred horses is available for the purpose of drawing interest, thereby obtaining funds to be disbursed to achieve the necessary support to these nonprofit race meets.

[2006 c 174 § 2; 1977 ex.s. c 372 § 1.]

NOTES:

     Severability -- 1977 ex.s. c 372: "If any provision of this 1977 amendatory act, or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act, or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [1977 ex.s. c 372 § 3.]