§ 11-65-3 — Class 1 Municipality Authorized to Create Racing Commission; Status of Commission; Powers and Duties Generally; Disposition of Fees; Jurisdiction of State Ethics Commission

A commission is authorized to be created in accordance with the provisions of this chapter for each Class 1 municipality, as Class 1 municipality is defined in Section 11-40-12 or any successor provision of law. Any commission created for any sponsoring municipality pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be named “The ______ (the name of the sponsoring municipality shall be inserted in the blank) Racing Commission” and shall be a public corporation having a legal existence separate and apart from the state and any county, municipality, or political subdivision thereof. A commission shall be vested with the powers and duties specified in this chapter and all other powers necessary and proper to enable it to execute fully and effectively the purposes of this chapter. Anything contained in this chapter to the contrary notwithstanding, no commission shall have any legal authority to license and regulate any racing and wagering activity at facilities located in any part of the sponsoring municipality outside the host county or in any part of the host county outside the sponsoring municipality. Any commission that was authorized by an election held in the sponsoring municipality and the host county prior to April 16, 1991, pursuant to then effective provisions of this chapter and that was validly incorporated pursuant to such authorization shall continue in existence with full powers under this chapter, and the members of such commission shall continue in office for the current terms for which they were respectively appointed or serve ex officio, without further action being required under the provisions of this chapter, as amended subsequently to the date of the incorporation of such commission or the respective beginning dates of such members’ current terms of office.
Notwithstanding any provisions hereof which connect the state with the creation and control of a commission, any commission incorporated pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall not be deemed to be part of the state for any purpose, but shall be treated as a public corporation and body politic separate and apart from the state. Except for the state horse wagering fee and the state dog racing privilege tax, all taxes, fees, commissions, and other moneys which a commission shall be authorized by this chapter to charge, levy, or receive or which shall be levied upon or charged for the privilege of conducting horse racing, greyhound racing, or pari-mutuel wagering thereon shall be deemed to be moneys belonging exclusively to such commission, and no allocation or payment of such moneys authorized or mandated by this chapter shall be considered to be an appropriation of moneys belonging to or controlled by the state, the host county, or the sponsoring municipality.
Notwithstanding any provisions hereof which connect a commission with its sponsoring municipality, the host county or any other county or municipality [including, without limitation thereto, the provisions of Section 11-65-4 hereof regarding an election in the host county and the part of the sponsoring municipality located therein to approve the incorporation of a commission and the provisions of Section 11-65-5 hereof providing for (1) the mayor or other chief executive officer of the sponsoring municipality to serve ex officio as one member of a commission or, in lieu of such ex officio service, to appoint a member of such commission and (2) the president or other designated presiding officer of the county commission of the host county to serve ex officio as one member of a commission or, in lieu of such ex officio service, to appoint a member of such commission], any commission incorporated pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall not be deemed to be a local agency or instrumentality of the sponsoring municipality or the host county, but shall be treated as a public corporation and body politic having rights, powers, and duties which, to the extent herein specified, shall be effective without reference to the rights, powers, duties, and territories of the sponsoring municipality and the host county.
Any racing commission incorporated pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the State Ethics Commission and to the provisions of Chapter 25, Title 36, and the members of such racing commission shall be deemed public officials subject to the provisions of said Chapter 25. Any officer or employee of a racing commission shall be deemed a public employee for purposes of said Chapter 25 as and to the extent provided in said Chapter 25.

Legislative History

(Acts 1984, No. 84-131, p. 159, §3; Acts 1991, No. 91-187, p. 246, §3.)