§ 23-110-402 - Number of racing days -- Sunday racing -- Approval of programs. - Arkansas Statutes

23-110-402. Number of racing days -- Sunday racing -- Approval of programs.

(a) The total racing days during any calendar year shall not exceed sixty-eight (68).

(b) A franchise holder shall apply for a license to conduct each racing meet and shall specify in the application for a license the racing days desired, which need not be consecutive.

(c) (1) The franchise holder shall not apply for, and the Arkansas Racing Commission shall not approve, racing on Sundays unless the question of Sunday racing shall have been submitted to the electors of the city or town in which racing is conducted or, if racing is not conducted within the corporate limits of a city or town, to the electors of the county in which racing is conducted, at a special or any regular election and a majority of the electors voting on the question shall have approved Sunday racing at such election.

(2) The governing body of the city, town, or county, as the case may be, shall submit the question to the electors when requested by a franchise holder. The election shall be held and conducted under the general election laws of the state except as otherwise provided in this section.

(3) The ordinance shall set forth the ballot question as follows:

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(4) Notice of the election shall be given by the clerk of the city, town, or county involved by one (1) publication in a newspaper having general circulation within the city, town, or county involved not less than ten (10) days prior to the election. No other publication or posting of a notice by any other public official shall be required.

(5) The election shall be held no earlier than fifteen (15) days after the date of adoption of the ordinance in which the election is called by the legislative body.

(6) The mayor of the city or town or the county judge of the county, as the case may be, shall proclaim the results of the election by issuing a proclamation and publishing it one (1) time in a newspaper having general circulation within the city, town, or county involved. The results of the election as stated in the proclamation shall be conclusive unless suit is filed in the circuit court in the county within twenty (20) days after the date of the publication of the proclamation.

(7) If Sunday racing is approved, that approval shall continue in effect from year to year thereafter so long as racing at the location involved is authorized by Arkansas law.

(d) On application of the franchise holder, the commission may change the racing days in any license for a racing meet from those originally set forth in the license.

(e) (1) Prior to each racing meet, the franchise holder shall write and submit to the commission for approval the horse racing and wagering programs to be conducted at each racing meet which shall specify the conditions and provisions applicable to the requested racing and wagering programs, and the commission shall approve or disapprove, in whole or in part, the requested programs.

(2) If any portion of a submission is disapproved, the franchise holder may reapply prior to or at any time during the racing meet involved, but only those horse racing programs and wagering programs that are requested by the franchise holder and approved by the commission may be conducted at a racing meet.