Steve Byk talks to Jake Delhomme about Louisiana Racing
/Here is a segment from their interview where they discuss Louisiana horse racing.
If you would like to listen to the full show, it can be found by clicking here.
Attention Louisiana Horsemen
/US 5th Circuit Court issued the following rulings on Tuesday January 31, 2023:
1. HISA’s motion to vacate the previous unconstitutional decision was denied;
2. HISA’s motion for rehearing of the 5th Circuit’s unconstitutional decision, based upon Senator McConnell’s Omnibus amendment to HISA was denied;
3. HISA’s motion for a rehearing enbanc was denied;
4. The Louisiana Federal case is mandated to return back to Federal court in Louisiana with the complete stay of HISA in place for Louisiana, West Virginia, and the named plaintiffs;
5. Any additional action involving of the two suits brought back to the US 5th Circuit will be handled by the same panel of three judges, which made the rulings above.
As a result of this opinion, we will proceed in court to have the other HBPAs, racetracks, and States included in our Louisiana Federal case to have the Stay of HISA, issued by the court to apply to all additional parties. Further information will follow after the LAHBPA attorney, John Duvieilh, has discussed further action with the Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, Louisiana Solicitor Liz Murrill, and other Attorneys General that will now be included.
Read MoreUrgent! Support Senator Chuck Grassley's Amendment
/Senator Chuck Grassley has filed an amendment to remove the HISA language from the Omnibus. Click on this link to send a message of support to your Senators: https://mstr.app/a8e78907-383c-41ae-b9c9-8d2d0d435afd
Read MoreNOTICE TO ALL MEMBERS
/The Fair Grounds updated the LAHBPA, at a meeting held on Thursday December 15, 2022, regarding the status of their turf course.
Update from Gary Palmisano, Jr., CDI Director of Racing:
Myself and CDI Equine Medical Director Dr. Will Farmer met at FG today with the local team to look at the turf course.
We have made the determination to begin offering turf racing starting with 4 stakes races slated for next week. We will have 2 on Dec. 26 and 2 on Dec. 31. These races will be run with the rail at 34 feet, which will allow for a max of 8 starters. We met the the LAHBPA team this afternoon and discussed this plan and all are in agreement with this plan.
We’re diligently continuing to work on the inner portion of the turf course but progress has been slow. We will be bringing our out of town consultants back in the near future to see what next steps we can take for that portion of the course.
Attention all Louisiana Horsemen:
/Please help protect Louisiana Horse Racing
If you have not called your US Senators and Representatives, DO SO NOW!
There is continued reports that Senator Mitch McConnell is promoting a “legislative correction” to the HISA laws now that a federal appeals court has concluded it is Unconstitutional. Once again, McConnell plans to bypass the normal process that would allow hearing and debate on his legislation by attaching his “fix” to a “Must Pass” bill such as a year ending spending bill. This path is like the way McConnell slipped the current law into Covid Relief legislation in 2020.
The Louisiana State Racing Commission (LSRC) has regulated horse racing in Louisiana for over a century. The LSRC is in the unique position to know what is best for Louisiana racing and Louisiana racing participants. The Commission and our Louisiana legislators work with industry participants to formulate laws and rules which protect our horses and jockeys and create a fair playing field for all participants.
The Louisiana HBPA urges all industry participants to contact your U.S. House Representative and your U.S. Senators (contact information provided below), IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO. Voice your opposition to these “back room” deals that circumvent your right to be heard. A phone call can be completed in about 3 MINUTES and will help fight this potentially devastating “fix”. Specifically, ask your congressmen to block any effort by HISA for another quick fix that got us in this mess in the first place. Our horsemen’s representative wants to work with ALL parties for new, sensible legislation that allows our jobs-heavy industry and related agribusiness to thrive and improve, rather than to choke from ill-advised legislation snuck through by a well-financed minority.
You can use this link to identify and contact your Representative:
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Contact information for the U.S. Senators from Louisiana is:
Senator John Kennedy
https://www.kennedy.senate.gov/public/
416 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Office number 202-224-4623
Senator Bill Cassidy
https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/
520 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Office number 202-224-5824
Attention all Louisiana Horsemen
/Please help protect Louisiana Horse Racing
Several news outlets reported yesterday that Senator Mitch McConnell is promoting a “legislative correction” to the HISA laws now that a federal appeals court has concluded it is Unconstitutional. Once again, McConnell plans to bypass the normal process that would allow hearing and debate on his legislation by attaching his “fix” to a “Must Pass” bill such as a year ending spending bill. This path is like the way McConnell slipped the current law into Covid Relief legislation in 2020.
The Louisiana State Racing Commission (LSRC) has regulated horse racing in Louisiana for over a century. The LSRC is in the unique position to know what is best for Louisiana racing and Louisiana racing participants. The Commission and our Louisiana legislators work with industry participants to formulate laws and rules which protect our horses and jockeys and create a fair playing field for all participants.
The Louisiana HBPA urges all industry participants to contact your U.S. House Representative and your U.S. Senators (contact information provided below) and voice your opposition to these “back room” deals that circumvent your right to be heard. Specifically, ask your congressmen to block any effort by HISA for another quick fix that got us in this mess in the first place. Our horsemen’s representative wants to work with ALL parties for new, sensible legislation that allows our jobs-heavy industry and related agribusiness to thrive and improve, rather than to choke from ill-advised legislation snuck through by a well-financed minority.
You can use this link to identify and contact your Representative:
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Contact information for the U.S. Senators from Louisiana is:
Senator John Kennedy
https://www.kennedy.senate.gov/public/
416 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Office number 202-224-4623
Senator Bill Cassidy
https://www.cassidy.senate.gov
520 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Office number 202-224-5824
NOTICE TO ALL HORSEMEN
/Those who believe HISA is fatally flawed and will be ruinous to the horse-racing industry should feel free to use any or all of the message below in emails we encourage you to send ALL your Congressional representatives ASAP. (Info below on how to send an email to your U.S. House Representative and your U.S. Senators.) You should feel free to use your own words. But let your federal representatives know how bad this has been. Your words are powerful!
"The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that the Horseracing Integrity & Safety Act (passed when slipped into the year-end omnibus in 2020) is unconstitutional. I agree. HISA was created with an extremely expensive quick fix and the result has been not only a trampling on the Constitution and mass confusion but a serious threat to the existence of smaller racetracks and a likelihood of ruining many racehorse owners and trainers - as well as the small businesses that depend on horsemen — out of business. This new bureaucracy’s crushing costs are being passed on to tracks and horsemen with no transparency and no significant representation. An industry as complex and wide-ranging as ours cannot be done expeditiously. It must be done strategically and with input from the industry as a whole. Please block any effort by HISA for another quick fix that got us in this mess in the first place. Our horsemen’s representatives want to work with ALL parties for new, sensible legislation that allows our jobs-heavy industry and related agribusiness to thrive and improve, rather than to choke from ill-advised legislation snuck through by a well-financed minority. We appreciate your support." -- Eric Hamelback and the National HBPA
You can use this link below to identify and send an email message to your Congressional Representative: www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative. You can also call one of your Congressman and Senators’ offices and leave a message either as a voice mail or to a staffer that you oppose HISA and Congress should block attempts to salvage it with a "quick fix" which will not solve the problems.
Here’s a link to find and contact your two U.S. Senators: www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
Read MoreNOTICE TO ALL MEMBERS
/The Fair Grounds updated the LAHBPA, at a meeting held on Tuesday November 30, 2022, regarding the status of their turf course and their ongoing efforts to rehabilitate the course. Fair Grounds assured the LAHBPA they are taking all actions necessary to return the course to operation as soon as possible, with the goal of resuming turf races before the end of December. Please check back for further updates.
Read MoreUS 5th Circuit Court has ruled that HISA is Unconstitutional
/Attention Louisiana Horsemen
The 5th Circuit Court has ruled, and we are awaiting to review the opinion. Based upon discussions with the Attorney General and our LAHBPA counsel, the following has occurred:
1. The 5th Circuit ruled HISA Unconstitutional, apparently under the nondelegation doctrine.
2. The case filed in Louisiana has been remanded back to district court with the injunction reinstated in its entirety.
As a result of this opinion, we will proceed in court to have the other HBPAs, racetracks, and States included in our injunction. Further information will follow after the LAHBPA attorney, John Duvieilh, has received and reviewed the court decision with the Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry and Louisiana Solicitor Liz Murrill.
Read More2022 Claiming Crown
/The 2022 Claiming Crown will be held at Churchill Downs on November 12, 2022.
Click here for more information
Read MoreNotice
/The Gentilly HBPA office will be closed on Monday September 5, 2022 for the Labor Day Holiday and will re-open on Tuesday September 6, 2022.
The bookkeeper office at Louisiana Downs is open during racing hours and can be reached at 318-742-3986.
If you have an emergency regarding WC, call Mike Fenasci at 504-214-6873.
If you have an emergency regarding the Medical Program, call Murray Woodward at 504-669-2254.
Happy Holiday!
THANK YOU, LAHBPA
Read MoreAttention: Change of Location
/Hearings regarding HISA are schedule for Tuesday August 30, 2022, for approximately 10:30AM at the US Fifth Circuit Court (600 Camp Street, New Orleans, LA 70130).
The Louisiana HBPA encourages all Horsemen to attend and support Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry at his press conference scheduled for 9:30AM at the Windsor Court Hotel.
Read MoreNOTICE TO ALL HORSEMEN
/Hearings regarding HISA are schedule for Tuesday August 30, 2022, for approximately 10:30AM at the US Fifth Circuit Court (600 Camp Street, New Orleans, LA 70130).
The Louisiana HBPA encourages all Horsemen to attend and support Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry at his press conference scheduled for 9:30AM outside the courthouse.
Read MoreNOTICE TO ALL MEMBERS
/The Lafourche Parish Council will conduct a meeting on Tuesday, August 9, 2022, at the Mathews Government Complex, 4876 Highway 1 in Mathews, Louisiana 70375 at 5PM. Amongst their agenda items is a proposed ordinance that would severely restrict Historic Horse Racing in Lafourche Parish. Anyone that participates in Louisiana Horse Racing should attend and explain how vital the purse funds generated by Historic Horse Racing is to our future.
Read MoreAttention All Horsemen
/The 5th circuit Court of Appeals granted an administrative stay of enforcement of a preliminary injunction entered against the HISA Authority late last week.
This stay means HISA rules are in effect pending a 5th circuit decision, which will replace the administrative decision. We are hopeful that the decision will be expedited.
Read MoreNOTICE TO ALL LOUISIANA HORSE RACING PARTICIPANTS
/The Louisiana HBPA thanks Senator John Kennedy on behalf of our members and all Louisiana horse racing participants for submitting a pertinent letter to the HISA Authority and the FTC concerning the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act. Please see this letter and the responses from HISA and the FTC. Again, we thank Senator John Kennedy for his support of Louisiana Horse Racing throughout the State.
Letter from Senators Ernst, Grassley, Kennedy, and Manchin to FTC and HISA
Letter from FTC Chair Lina Khan to Senator Kennedy
Letter from HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus to Senator Kennedy
Read MoreNOTICE - HISA UPDATES
/We’ve just added two more HISA updates to the website. You can find them and any previous or future updates on our website at lahbpa.org
Update 2: Horsemen's Reply to HISA & FTC
We will continue to post updates to the website and make sure they stay at the top of the page. You can find all previous updates there as well. We will also post notices to Twitter and Facebook so please follow us on the platform you prefer if you’d like to stay updated when we post new information.
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