A live racing bill that would codify into law the distribution of revenues from historical horse racing wagering into the Kansas Breeders Development Fund and the Fair Horse Racing Benefit Fund has passed the Senate.

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TOPEKA, KS–FEBRUARY 20, 2025––Activity in the Kansas legislature has been moving quickly in the past seven days.  Last week, Senate Bill 260 was introduced by Senator Michael Fagg, Eureka, into the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee that would codify into law among other things, the distribution of revenues from historical horse racing wagering into the Kansas Breeders Development Fund and the Fair Horse Racing Benefit Fund, intended to support live racing. 

On Monday of this week, a hearing on the bill was held in committee and the Kansas Quarter Horse Racing Association testified in support of passage.  After testimony was heard, members of the committee voted to move the bill forward for debate on the full Senate floor.  Senate Majority Leader Chase Blasi, Colwich, scheduled debate on the bill the next day.  After a brief debate, the Senate body moved to take a final action vote on the bill and earlier today, the Senate voted in favor by an overwhelming majority 36 to 4, passing the bill through the upper chamber of the legislature. 

The bill now resides in the House of Representatives, where the KQHRA will continue to work diligently with legislators to ensure progress continues and the bill is passed through that chamber before moving to the Governor for final approval.  The Kansas legislative session ends on April 12th.

Historical Horse Racing (HHR) was approved by the Kansas legislature in 2022 allowing for up to 1,000 machines to be located in Sedgwick County (Wichita).  After passage, a license was granted to the Golden Circle Casino for operation of these machines at the former Wichita Greyhound Park just outside of Wichita.  The $135M renovation project is well underway with an expected opening date for late this year. 

In response to the passage of the HHR law, the KQHRA has been working with members of the legislature and other interested parties to develop bill language that would bring live racing back to Kansas by connecting HHR revenue to the live racing funds that currently exist in statute.  In the 2024 legislative session, the legislature passed language similar to SB260, but through the omnibus budget bill, which has an expiration date of June 30, 2027. 

SB260 will make this language permanent and provide certainty to the industry that live racing will indeed return to the state.  With the enhancement of the Kansas Breeders Development Fund within the bill, breeders will have a substantial incentive to bring mares and stallions to Kansas and develop their breeding program here, driving economic growth throughout the state.

We will continue to provide updates as the legislative process continues.

For questions, please contact ksqhra24@gmail.com.