Except as provided elsewhere in this section, the distributing agent for charity distributions shall be a nonprofit organization or corporation, or nonprofit organizations or corporations, selected by the licensee of the meeting and approved by the board.
(a) Each distributing agent to be qualified hereunder shall conform to the then existing laws and regulations of this state and the United States, so as to be exempt or be entitled to exemption from the payment of any tax measured by income.
(b) Each distributing agent shall have not less than five trustees or directors. None of the individuals constituting the governing board of trustees or directors of the distributing agent shall be directly connected with, be a stockholder, or have any interest in the racing association that is the licensee of the race meeting. Each of the individual trustees or directors shall be a person who is, at the time, both a resident of this state, and an executive, officer, director, trustee, or member of the governing body or board, by whatever name the governing body or board may be known, of an organization engaged in civic, religious, charitable, educational, or veteran activities in this state.
(c) Each distributing agent shall adopt bylaws, shall provide for election to fill vacancies in the board of directors or trustees, and shall hold at least one meeting each year.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, with the approval of the board, a racing association whose board of trustees or directors is precluded by its articles of incorporation, bylaws, or by contract from receiving compensation for services in the capacity of trustee or director may act as its own distributing agent.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, with the approval of the board, a racing association may act as its own distributing agent provided it allocates and distributes for charitable purposes an amount at least equal to that specified in subdivision (b) of Section 19550 in accordance with Section 19555 and subdivision (b) of Section 19556.
(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 170, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2000.)