Contact: Erika Martinez
(505)986-4819
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2014
Law to Prevent Enhancement Drugs in Horse Racing Signed by Governor Martinez
Santa Fe, NM – Today, Governor Susana Martinez signed Senate Bill 116 into law to help prevent the use of illegal, performance-enhancing drugs in horse racing.
Bill sponsor, Senate Pro Tem Mary Kay Papen (D-38-Dona Ana) said she proposed the bill to help horseracing in New Mexico be “the sport of kings, not the sport of crooks.”
“I’m thrilled to death that we are finally getting a handle on the use of illegal methods to enhance the horse’s ability to win races in New Mexico,” said Sen. Papen. “I applaud the governor for signing such an important piece of legislation.”
With the bill’s passing, race track owners now have the power to decline horse owners whose license has been suspended or revoked for administering drugs to horses from their facilities. In any case where doping has been suspected, a hearing officer will be assigned to investigate and will report to the New Mexico Racing Commission, who will make the final decision to revoke or suspend a license.
In recent years past, high profile cases exposed two New Mexico license owners whose horses tested positive for dermorphin and cocaine. Not much repercussion has followed. This bill, co-sponsored by Representative Candy Spence Ezzell (R-58-Chaves) as HB 100, will speed up the appeals process for such cases and allow New Mexico to once again be respected as host of the sport.
“A license to be on the track and to race horses is not just a given. It’s not something you just buy; it’s a privilege,” added Sen. Papen.
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