SENATE STATE GOVERNMENT, WAGERING, TOURISM & HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 3198

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 4, 2021

      The Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 3198.

     As amended by the committee, this bill extends the time a person may claim outstanding parimutuel tickets for horse races.  Currently, a person may claim outstanding parimutuel tickets up to six months from the date the ticket was issued. This bill extends the time period to claim outstanding parimutuel tickets up to 12 months from the date the ticket was issued. This extension includes parimutuel tickets that were purchased both in-person and online.

     The bill, as amended, allows for additional time to claim outstanding parimutuel tickets and unclaimed cash vouchers due to the Public Health Emergency declared by the Governor in Executive Order No. 103 of 2020 and as extended. Winning outstanding parimutuel tickets purchased from the period beginning on September 16, 2019 and ending on the date of the end of the emergency would be eligible to be claimed and would be payable during the period ending one year following the end of the emergency. Unclaimed cash vouchers on horse racing issued or purchased since March 16, 2017 would be eligible to be claimed and would be payable during the period ending one year following the end of the emergency, and that one-year extension would apply to unclaimed cash vouchers that reach the three-year expiration date before the end of the emergency. To allow a person or persons entitled to such tickets and vouchers to claim the proceeds, the bill, as amended, also provides that all sums held by a permit holder that conducts harness or thoroughbred races for payment of outstanding parimutuel tickets and unclaimed cash vouchers would not be paid to any account, as required by law, until one year following the end of the emergency.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

      The amendments allow additional time to claim outstanding parimutuel tickets and unclaimed cash vouchers due to the Public Health Emergency declared by the Governor in Executive Order No. 103 of 2020 and as extended, as follows:

      (1) winning outstanding parimutuel tickets purchased from the period beginning on September 16, 2019 and ending on the date of the end of the emergency would be eligible to be claimed and would be payable during the period ending one year following the end of the emergency; and

      (2) unclaimed cash vouchers on horse racing issued or purchased since March 16, 2017 would be eligible to be claimed and would be payable during the period ending one year following the end of the emergency, and that one-year extension would apply to unclaimed cash vouchers that reach the three-year expiration date before the end of the emergency.

      To allow a person or persons entitled to such tickets and vouchers to claim the proceeds, the amendments also provide that all sums held by a permit holder that conducts harness or thoroughbred races for payment of outstanding parimutuel tickets and unclaimed cash vouchers would not be paid to any account, as required by law, until one year following the end of the emergency.