# Business Regulation (GBR)

## Title 11. Horse Racing

### Subtitle 4. Special Fund

#### Section 11-401

There is a Special Fund.

#### Section 11-402

The Special Fund consists of:

(1) the State share of daily licensee fees;

(2) pari-mutuel taxes;

(3) the impact aid under Sec. 11-812 of this title;

(4) money from uncashed pari-mutuel tickets that are from bets made into the betting pools of licensees;

(5) any permit fees under Sec.Sec. 11-820 and 11-832 of this title;

(6) subject to Sec. 11-403(a)(9) and (b) of this subtitle, money from the State Lottery Fund distributed under Sec. 9-120(b) of the State Government Article; and

(7) any fines collected under Sec. 11-1002(d) of this title.

#### Section 11-403

(a) The Comptroller shall pay from the Special Fund an annual grant of:

  (1) $825,000 to the Maryland Agricultural Fair Board to promote State and county agricultural fairs and exhibits;

  (2) $100,000 to Prince George's County to replace money formerly received from the admissions and amusement tax;

  (3) $40,000 to the Great Frederick Fair to support exhibition harness racing with money for construction and maintenance of new stalls, track maintenance, and purses;

  (4) $50 to the City of Bowie for each day that the training facilities are open at the Bowie Race Course Training Center;

  (5) an amount not to exceed $30,000 in fiscal year 1998 and $20,000 in each fiscal year thereafter to the Great Pocomoke Fair, Inc. to support exhibition harness racing with money for construction and maintenance of new stalls, track maintenance, and purses;

  (6) $500,000 to the Maryland Million, Ltd. to support and promote the running of Maryland Million races;

  (7) $350,000 to the Maryland Standardbred Race Fund for the Sire Stakes Program; and

  (8) beginning July 1, 2017, from the money distributed under Sec. 9-120(b) of the State Government Article up to $500,000 to a purse for the Maryland International thoroughbred race under Sec. 11-522.1 of this title.

(b)

  (1) In fiscal year 2017, the Comptroller shall pay, from the money distributed to the Special Fund, $500,000 to the Maryland Racing Commission to be used, in a manner determined by the Maryland Racing Commission, for a bonus award program for Maryland-bred or Maryland-sired horses running in the Preakness Stakes.

  (2) The Maryland Racing Commission shall consult with representatives of the thoroughbred racing industry prior to establishing the rules and criteria for the bonus award program.

  (3) If, under the rules of the bonus award program, funds remain in the program after the Preakness Stakes is conducted on one or more occasions, remaining funds shall carry over to the next fiscal year and may not revert to the General Fund.

(c) If the Maryland State Fair remains at the Timonium Fair Grounds, the Comptroller shall pay from the Special Fund an annual grant of:

  (1) $500,000 to the Maryland State Fair and Agricultural Society, Inc., to:

    (i) promote and enhance the Maryland State Fair; and

    (ii) maintain and develop youth programs, with premium money provided to organizations, such as 4-H Clubs and the Future Farmers of America, for recognition and awards; and

  (2) $50,000 to Baltimore County to replace the money formerly received by the county under this subtitle.

(d) Any amounts paid by the Comptroller for the purposes specified under subsections (a)(8) and (b) of this section shall remain available for those purposes and may not be used for any other purpose.

#### Section 11-404

(a)

  (1) To help pay for facilities and services in communities within 2 miles of the Pimlico Race Course or 3 miles of the Laurel Race Course, the Comptroller shall pay money to Baltimore City, the City of Laurel, and Anne Arundel and Howard counties in accordance with this section.

  (2) The money shall be paid from the Special Fund in an annual grant.

(b) In any year, payments required under this section may not be less than the total allocated for 140 days of live racing at each track.

(c)

  (1) If 140 or more days of live racing in a year are held at Pimlico Race Course, the Comptroller shall pay to Baltimore City:

    (i) $2,800 for each day of live racing; and

    (ii) $1,400 for each additional day of intertrack betting without live racing held.

  (2) If fewer than 140 days of live racing in a year are held at Pimlico Race Course, the Comptroller shall pay to Baltimore City:

    (i) $2,800 for each day of live racing or intertrack betting without live racing held, up to a maximum payment for 140 days; and

    (ii) $1,400 for each additional day of intertrack betting without live racing held.

(d)

  (1) If 140 or more days of live racing in a year are held at Laurel Race Course, the Comptroller shall pay:

    (i) for each day of live racing, $2,000 to Anne Arundel County, $500 to Howard County, and $300 to the City of Laurel; and

    (ii) for each additional day of intertrack betting without live racing held, $1,000 to Anne Arundel County, $250 to Howard County, and $150 to the City of Laurel.

  (2) If fewer than 140 days of live racing in a year are held at Laurel Race Course, the Comptroller shall pay:

    (i) for each day of live racing or each day of intertrack betting without live racing held, up to a maximum payment for 140 days, $2,000 to Anne Arundel County, $500 to Howard County, and $300 to the City of Laurel; and

    (ii) for each additional day of intertrack betting without live racing held, $1,000 to Anne Arundel County, $250 to Howard County, and $150 to the City of Laurel.

#### Section 11-404.1

(a) If in any fiscal year revenues to the Special Fund established under Sec. 11-402 of this subtitle are insufficient to fully fund all grants required under Sec.Sec. 11-403 and 11-404 of this subtitle, the Comptroller shall proportionally reduce the amount of payments required under Sec.Sec. 11-403(a)(2) and (4), 11-403(c)(2), and 11-404 of this subtitle.

(b) If in any fiscal year revenues to the Special Fund established under Sec. 11-402 of this subtitle are sufficient to fully fund all grants required under Sec.Sec. 11-403 and 11-404 of this subtitle, after all required deductions from the Special Fund are made, the Comptroller shall pay from the Special Fund an annual grant of:

  (1) $300,000 to be allocated in the following way:

    (i) 70% to the Maryland-Bred Race Fund; and

    (ii) 30% to the Maryland Standardbred Race Fund, to be divided equally between the Sire Stakes Program and the Foaled Stakes Program; and

  (2) $260,000 to the Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund established under Sec. 2-206 of the State Finance and Procurement Article, with $130,000 to be allocated to support the operations of the Rural Maryland Council.

#### Section 11-405

(a) The fiscal officer of each subdivision that is eligible to receive money under Sec. 11-404 of this subtitle shall submit a written certification to the Comptroller and, subject to Sec. 2-1257 of the State Government Article, the Department of Legislative Services on or before November 1 of each year.

(b) The fiscal officer's certification shall state:

  (1) the purposes for which Special Fund money received under Sec. 11-404 of this subtitle was spent or committed during the fiscal year that ends on the June 30 before the report is submitted; and

  (2) that the subdivision will hold Special Fund money in a special account and use the money only to help services and facilities within 2 miles of the Pimlico Race Course or 3 miles of the Laurel Race Course.

(c)

  (1) The Comptroller may not pay Special Fund money to a subdivision unless the fiscal officer of the subdivision submits a timely certification required under subsection (a) of this section.

  (2) The Comptroller shall place Special Fund money withheld under paragraph (1) of this subsection in a special account and add it to the money available for payment to the subdivision in the next fiscal year.

#### Section 11-406

After all deductions from the Special Fund as required by Sec.Sec. 11-403, 11-404, and 11-404.1 of this subtitle are made, money that remains in the Special Fund shall be allocated in the following way:

(1) 50% to the Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund established under Sec. 2-206 of the State Finance and Procurement Article, with one-third of these funds to be allocated to support the operations of the Rural Maryland Council; and

(2) 50% to be allocated in the following way:

  (i) 70% to the Maryland-Bred Race Fund; and

  (ii) 30% to the Maryland Standardbred Race Fund, to be divided equally between the Sire Stakes Program and the Foaled Stakes Program.

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Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. (as displayed at mgaleg.maryland.gov, October 16, 2026)