(a) The Commission may make rules governing, restricting or regulating the rate or charge by a licensee for admission or for the performance of any service or the sale of any article on the premises of a licensee.
(b) (1) The Commission may use the services of the Thoroughbred Racing Protection Bureau and county, state or federal law-enforcement agencies. An individual making application for a license to participate in or be employed at a meet held by a licensee shall be fingerprinted by the Commissioner or the Commissioner’s designee for purposes of a criminal history record check.
(2) Any individual making application for a license to participate in or be employed at a meet held by a licensee shall submit, to the State Bureau of Identification fingerprints and other necessary information to the State Bureau of Identification in order to obtain all of the following:
a. A report of the person’s entire criminal history record from the State Bureau of Identification, or a statement from the State Bureau of Identification that the State Bureau of Identification Central Repository contains no such information relating to that person.
b. A report of the person’s entire federal criminal history from the Federal Bureau of Investigation pursuant to the Federal Bureau of Investigation appropriation of Title II of Public Law 92-544 (28 U.S.C. §534) or a statement that the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s records contain no such information relating to that person. The State Bureau of Identification shall be the intermediary for purposes of this section and the Commission shall be the screening point for the receipt of said federal criminal history reports required. The State Bureau of Identification shall forward all information obtained under this subsection to the Commission.
(3) A person required to obtain criminal history reports under this subsection is responsible for any costs associated with obtaining the fingerprinting and the criminal history reports.
(c) The Commission may authorize a licensee to appoint, subject to the approval and control of the Commission: (1) Racing officials; (2) chemists; (3) accountants; (4) engineers; (5) stewards; and (6) veterinarians; and grant licenses to all participants in the racing meet.
(d) No Commissioner, racing official, steward or judge whose duty is to insure that the rules and regulations of the Commission are complied with shall bet on the outcome of any race regulated by the Commission, have any financial or primary interest in the outcome of any race regulated by the Commission, or have any financial interest in a thoroughbred and/or Arabian horse race track or in the operation of any such track within this State.
(e) All proposed extensions, additions or improvements to the buildings, stables or improvements on tracks or property owned or leased by a licensee under this chapter shall be subject to the approval of the Commission.
(f) The Commission may compel the production of any and all books, memoranda or documents showing the receipts and disbursements of any person licensed under the provisions of this chapter to conduct racing meets.
(g) The Commission may at any time require the removal of any employee or official employed by any licensee hereunder.
(h) (1) The Commission may require that the books, records and financial or other statements of any person licensed under the provisions of this chapter shall be kept in such form or in such manner as the Commission prescribes.
(2) The Commission may visit, investigate and place expert accountants and such other persons as it deems necessary in the offices, tracks or places of business of any such person for the purpose of satisfying itself that the Commission’s rules and regulations are strictly complied with. The salaries and expenses of such expert accountants or other persons shall be paid by the person to whom they are assigned.
(i) The Commission may issue, under the hand of its Chairman and the seal of the Commission, subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the production of books, papers and documents before the Commission and may administer oaths or affirmations to the witnesses whenever in the judgment of the Commission it may be necessary for the effectual discharge of its duties.
(j) If any person refuses to obey any subpoena or to testify or to produce any books, papers or documents, then any Commissioner may apply to the Superior Court of the county in which the Commissioner or the Commission may be sitting, and, thereupon, the Court shall issue its subpoena requiring the person to appear and to testify or to produce the books, papers or documents.
(k) Whoever fails to obey or refuses to obey a subpoena of the Superior Court shall be guilty of contempt of court and shall be punished accordingly.
(l) False swearing on the part of any witness shall be deemed perjury and shall be punished as such.
(m) (1) The Commission shall adopt regulations governing the operation of thoroughbred and Arabian racing including the regulation of betting in connection therewith and the regulation of the conduct of all participants in any racing meet, to insure the integrity and security of the conduct of meetings held pursuant to this chapter. Such regulations shall include provisions for disciplinary measures for violations thereof including the imposition of fines, suspension or revocation of licenses or permits, and ejection or expulsion from a licensee’s premises.
(2) a. The Commission shall have the authority to impose a fine of up to the greater of $10,000 or the amount of the purse money for the race to which the violation related for any violation of its regulations.
b. The stewards of a race meeting acting in accordance with such regulations if authorized by the Commission shall have the authority to impose disciplinary measures, including fines, suspension or revocation of licenses or permits, and ejection or exclusion from a licensee’s premises.
c. All fines imposed pursuant to this section shall be paid over to the General Fund upon receipt by the Commission.
d. A person fined or otherwise disciplined by the stewards of a racing meeting shall have a right of appeal to the Commission and for a hearing before the Commission. Any person fined or otherwise disciplined by the Commission shall have a right of appeal to the Superior Court of the State.
e. The action of the Commission shall stand unless and until reversed by the Court.
(n) The Commission shall promulgate administrative regulations for effectively preventing the use of improper devices, the administration of drugs or stimulants or other improper acts for the purpose of affecting the speed or health of horses in races in which they are to participate. The Commission is also authorized to promulgate administrative regulations for the legal drug testing of licensees. The Commission is authorized to contract for the maintenance and operation of a testing laboratory and related facilities, for the purpose of saliva, urine or other tests for enforcement of the Commission’s drug testing rules and regulations. The licensed persons or associations conducting thoroughbred racing shall reimburse the Commission for all costs of the drug testing programs established pursuant to this section. Increases in costs of the aforementioned testing program shall be reasonable and related to expansion in the number of days of racing and the number of races held, the need to maintain competitive salaries, and inflation. The Commission may not unreasonably expand the drug testing program beyond the scope of the program in effect as of June 30, 1998. Any decision by the Commission to expand the scope of the drug testing program that occurs after an administrative hearing, at which the persons or associations licensed under § 10121 of this title consent to such expansion, shall not be deemed an unreasonable expansion for purposes of this section. The Commission, in addition to the penalties contained in § 10125 of this title, may impose penalties on licensees who violate the drug testing regulations including imposition of fines or assessments for drug testing costs. By January 1, 1999, the Commission shall present recommendations to the General Assembly regarding the implementation of additional penalties, including forfeiture of horses, which may be imposed on a licensee whose horse tests positive for illegal drugs.