Notwithstanding Section 19614, any county fair in the central zone that conducted fair racing meetings prior to January 1, 1980, commencing with the 2006 racing season, may retain that portion of the license fee applicable to its live racing meeting that exceeds the amount of license fees paid during its 2004 live racing meeting for payment of a capital expense loan incurred for the purpose of improving its facilities for horse racing. The license fee retention shall be applicable only during the loan period, only in an amount equal to the loan payments, and only if all the moneys retained are used to pay off the loan for those capital expenses. Any portion of the license fee in excess of the amount needed to make loan payments pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the Fair and Exposition Fund. However, if after the effective date of this section, the rate of the license fee imposed on fairs is reduced, the county fair may retain that portion of the license fee applicable to its live racing meeting that exceeds the amount of the license fees that would have been paid on its 2004 live racing meeting at the reduced rate.
(Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 918, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2005.)