Louisiana Joins Lawsuit Filed in Federal Court to Protect State from
Overreaching, Unaccountable Horseracing Integrity & Safety Authority
BATON ROUGE, LA – Fighting to protect state sovereignty,
Attorney General Jeff Landry has joined Louisiana to a lawsuit challenging the
constitutionality of the Horseracing Integrity & Safety Act of 2021 (HISA)
– a measure ramrodded into the COVID relief bill that cedes much regulatory and
taxation power of the State to an unelected and unaccountable nongovernmental
entity.
“HISA requires the unelected Authority to exercise
regulatory authority over horseracing in Louisiana, mandates our State to
assist the Authority, and forces us to choose between remitting funds to the
Authority or losing some of our powers of taxation,” explained Attorney General
Landry. “This violation of the Tenth Amendment would have devastating effects to our
State and the thousands of Louisianans in the horse industry.”
“While I believe that horses should be treated humanely and
horseracing should be held to the highest degree of integrity, I know that more
bureaucracy from an overreaching and unaccountable fiefdom is not the way to
achieve these goals,” continued Attorney General Landry. “We should continue
our Legislature’s decades-long delegation of police powers over the industry to
the Louisiana State Racing Commission, knowledgeable participants who have
collected significant fees and taxes while enforcing our statutes and
regulations concerning the health and safety of equine athletes and all other
industry participants throughout Louisiana.”
Attorney General Landry’s litigation was met with swift
praise and appreciation from those who ply their trade – directly and indirectly
– in owning, breeding, training, grooming, racing, and caring for horses in
Louisiana.
“The actions of Attorney General Jeff Landry in opposing the
HISA law demonstrates his genuine concern for the well-being of the Louisiana
horse racing and breeding industry and its participants throughout the State as
well as our equine athletes,” said Benard Chatters, the President of the
Louisiana Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association (LAHBPA).
“The Louisiana Horsemen appreciate and respect the unwavering
support of Attorney General Jeff Landry, which he has consistently shown to the
Louisiana horse racing and breeding industry throughout our State,” said Ed
Fenasci, the Executive Director of the LAHBPA.
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A copy of the lawsuit filed late yesterday in the United States
District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky may be found below.