Massachusetts lawmakers fail to pass licence renewal legislation

Reports have emerged in the Massachusetts media indicating that an embarrassing lack of attention on the part of state lawmakers mid-week briefly left the state’s two horse racetracks unlicensed and unable to operate.

Lawmakers had allowed the deadline for renewal legislation HB4809 to go unheeded when the Legislature adjourned Tuesday; that left the Suffolk Downs and Plainridge Park racetracks illegal and unlicensed from August 1, and managements stopped all activity.

COO Chip Turtle was blunt in his condemnation, saying:  “It looks like hundreds of peoples’ jobs fell victim to the clock here.”

The company posted a message on its social media accounts announcing the closure, explaining, “We will not be able to offer simulcasting today … as the laws authorizing racing and simulcasting in Massachusetts expired on 7/31. We are sorry for any inconvenience that this may cause to our customers and we hope that the Legislature renews the racing and simulcast laws in the near future.”

A full crisis was diverted Thursday when an informal session saw lawmakers in the House push the bill through; the Senate cooperated with its approval and an amendment calling for the immediate implementation of the legislation on state governor Charlie Baker’s signature, and the governor played his part in turning the signed bill around immediately, lifting the unintended 36-hour ban on the racetracks.

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