N.Y. Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law § 308: Officials at harness horse race meetings

§ 308. Officials at harness horse race meetings. 1. At all harness

race meetings licensed by the commission in accordance with the

provisions of sections two hundred twenty-two through seven hundred five

of this chapter qualified judges and starters shall be designated by the

commission. Such officials shall enforce the rules and regulations of

the commission and shall render regular written reports of the

activities and conduct of such race meetings to the commission.

2. The licensed racing corporations shall reimburse the commission for

the per diem cost to the commission to employ one associate judge and

the starter to serve at harness race meetings. The commission shall

notify each such licensed racing corporation of the per diem cost of the

associate judge and the starter at the track of such licensed racing

corporation within sixty days of the end of each month. Payment of the

reimbursement required by this section shall be made to the commission

by each entity required to make such payments within thirty days of such

notification by the commission and shall cover all the costs incurred

during that month. A penalty of five percent of payment due, and

interest at the rate of one percent per month calculated from such date

that payment is due to the date of the payment of the per diem cost

shall be payable in case any per diem cost imposed by this subdivision

is not paid when due. The commission shall promulgate rules and

regulations to ensure the proper reimbursement of such costs.

3. The commission shall pay into the racing regulation account, as

defined in section ninety-nine-i of the state finance law, under the

joint custody of the comptroller and the commission, the total amount of

the reimbursements collected pursuant to this section. With the approval

of the director of the budget, monies used to pay the costs and expenses

of the operations of the commission shall be paid out of such account on

the audit and warrant of the comptroller on vouchers, certified and

approved by the director of the division of the budget or his or her

duly designated official.

4. Any associate judge and starter whose per diem costs are reimbursed

by a licensed racing corporation shall remain employees of the

commission and shall retain all the rights and privileges of their

current civil service jurisdictional classification and status and

collective bargaining unit representation.