Sec. 12-574a. Town referendum on racing and fronton. Sunday operation for racing and jai alai events and off-track pari-mutuel betting on racing programs.
Sec. 12-574a. Town referendum on racing and fronton. Sunday operation for
racing and jai alai events and off-track pari-mutuel betting on racing programs.
(a) Whenever a person or business organization files an application with the board for
a license to conduct an activity regulated by section 12-574, exclusive of renewal license
applications, the board shall forward within five days to the town clerk of the town within
which such activity is proposed to be carried on a statement specifying the prospective
applicant, the proposed activity, the site on which such activity is proposed to be conducted and the fact that an application has been filed with the board. Within ten days
after such statement has been filed, such town clerk shall cause notice of such filing to
be published in a newspaper having a circulation in the town wherein the activity is to
be conducted. The question of the approval of the conducting of such activity shall be
submitted to the electors of such town at a special election called for the purpose to be
held not less than thirty nor more than sixty days after such publication, in conformity
with the provisions of section 9-369, or at a regular town election if such election is to
be held more than sixty but not more than one hundred twenty days after such publication,
such question shall be so submitted and the vote shall be taken in the manner prescribed
by said section 9-369. The town clerk shall notify the board of the results of such election.
The disapproval of the conducting of such activity by a majority of those voting on the
question shall be a bar to the granting of a license to that applicant to conduct such
activity at such location. All costs incurred by a municipality in connection with such
referendum shall be paid to said municipality by the person or business organization
filing such application for such license. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply
to any licensee authorized to operate the off-track betting system with respect to any
off-track betting facility approved prior to June 25, 1993.
(b) No licensee may conduct any racing or jai alai event on any Sunday without the
prior approval of the legislative body of the town in which the event is scheduled to
take place.
(c) No licensee authorized to operate the off-track betting system may conduct any
off-track pari-mutuel wagering on any racing program on any Sunday without the prior
approval of the legislative body of the town in which such off-track betting facility is
located.
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the prior approval of the legislative body only of the town shall be required in the event the division
or the board issues a license pursuant to subsection (c) of section 12-574c.
(P.A. 73-600, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-441; P.A. 79-404, S. 26, 45; P.A. 80-133, S. 5, 10; P.A. 81-50, S. 1, 2; 81-472, S. 17,
159; P.A. 83-81, S. 1, 2; 83-300, S. 1, 2; P.A. 85-42, S. 1, 2; P.A. 87-121, S. 1, 2; P.A. 91-309, S. 4, 10; P.A. 93-332, S.
34, 42; P.A. 96-151, S. 1, 3.)
History: P.A. 77-441 deleted provisions concerning petition as intermediary step between publication of notice and
holding of referendum and added provision requiring costs of referendum to be paid by applicant for license; P.A. 79-404
substituted references to gaming policy board for references to commission on special revenue or its executive secretary
and forbade holding of Sunday racing or jai alai meetings without approval of town legislative body; P.A. 80-133 substituted
"business organization" and "licensee" for "firm, partnership, association or corporation" as necessary and "event" for
"meeting"; P.A. 81-50 added the provision requiring the board to assign Sunday meeting dates, with some restrictions, if
requested by the licensee after prior approval of the legislative body of the town involved; P.A. 81-472 made technical
changes; P.A. 83-81 required the gaming policy board to permit a licensee to finish a Saturday evening performance by 1
a.m. on Sunday; P.A. 83-300 subdivided the section, adding Subsec. (c), permitting vendor licensees providing facilities,
goods or services for an off-track betting system to conduct pari-mutuel wagering on harness or thoroughbred racing events
on Sunday only with prior approval of the town's legislative body; P.A. 85-42 amended Subsec. (a), permitting executive
director to authorize vendor licensees to conduct make-up performances; P.A. 87-121 amended Subsec. (c) to delete
references to "harness or thoroughbred" racing "event" or "performances" and substitute racing "program" in lieu thereof
and to provide for the conduct of wagering on afternoon and evening racing programs in Subdiv. (3); P.A. 91-309 added
Subsec. (d), requiring only prior approval of the legislative body of the town in event division or board issues a license
pursuant to Sec. 12-574c(c); P.A. 93-332 amended Subsec. (a) to exempt a licensee authorized to operate the off-track
betting systems from the provisions of said Subsec. and amended Subsec. (c) to make changes re the operation of the off-track betting systems by an authorized licensee, effective June 25, 1993; P.A. 96-151 amended Subsecs. (b) and (c) to
delete provisions restricting Sunday operation for licensees, effective July 1, 1996.
Time limit fixed does not remove requirement under section 7-9 that each page of petition contain a six months' clause.
30 CS 365. Cited. 33 CS 168.