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SF 2117IOWASession 2025-2026State BillSigned into law
Enacted

Iowa requires thoroughbred and quarter horse racing seasons to run as separate, non-overlapping meets

Original title: A bill for an act relating to thoroughbred and quarter horse racing seasons.

Last action · May 19, 2026: Signed by Governor . H.J. 1167 .Sponsors: Mike Pike and 1 other

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Does

Senate File 2117 mandates that thoroughbred and quarter horse racing seasons be conducted as separate stand-alone meets that do not overlap, prohibiting races for both breeds on the same calendar day unless a written mutual agreement is reached.

Why it matters

The measure alters scheduling requirements for horse racing tracks and owner associations in Polk County, barring concurrent race meets without explicit written consent.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

thoroughbred and quarter horse owners

Associations representing thoroughbred and quarter horse owners must participate in written agreements if mixed or overlapping racing meets are scheduled.

Directly affected

licensee of the horse racetrack located in Polk county

The racetrack licensee must adhere to non-overlapping standalone meet schedules unless executing a mutual written agreement with breed owner associations.

Directly affected

state racing and gaming commission

The commission's standards and interpretations regarding independent racing seasons are restricted by the new statutory scheduling mandates.

Key Facts

  • Thoroughbred and quarter horse racing seasons must be conducted as separate, non-overlapping stand-alone meets.
  • A race for one breed cannot be scheduled on the same calendar day as a race for the other breed.
  • The racing season for one breed cannot commence until the racing season for the other breed has concluded.
  • Overlapping or concurrent racing schedules are deemed a mixed meet and require a mutual written agreement among breed owner associations and the Polk County racetrack licensee.
Show all 6 facts
  • The minimum duration for a thoroughbred racing season is sixty-seven days.
  • The minimum duration for a quarter horse racing season is twenty-six days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can thoroughbred and quarter horse races take place on the same day?
No, races for the two breeds cannot be scheduled on the same calendar day unless there is a mutual written agreement between the respective owner associations and the Polk County racetrack .
What is required for a mixed meet featuring both breeds?
A featuring overlapping or concurrent racing schedules can only occur pursuant to a mutual written agreement between the associations representing the thoroughbred and quarter horse owners and the Polk County racetrack .

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News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

27 actions
  1. May 19, 2026HouseEnrolled
    Signed by Governor . H.J. 1167 .
  2. May 13, 2026House
    Reported correctly enrolled, signed by Speaker and President, and sent to Governor. H.J. 1164 .
  3. May 2, 2026House
    Message from Senate. H.J. 1131 .
  4. May 2, 2026Senate
    Immediate message. S.J. 996 .
  5. May 2, 2026SenateFloor
    Passed Senate , yeas 30, nays 16. S.J. 995 .
  6. Mar 26, 2026Senate
    Placed on calendar under unfinished business. S.J. 659 .
Show 21 earlier actions
  1. Mar 19, 2026Iowa Legislature
    Placed on calendar.
  2. Mar 19, 2026Senate
    Committee report, recommending passage. S.J. 608 .
  3. Mar 16, 2026Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee recommends passage.
  4. Mar 10, 2026Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee Meeting: 03/16/2026 12:30PM Room 315.
  5. Mar 3, 2026Senate
    Subcommittee: Bousselot, Bisignano, and Green. S.J. 457 .
  6. Mar 2, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Read first time, referred to State Government. S.J. 423 .
  7. Mar 2, 2026House
    Message from House. S.J. 423 .
  8. Feb 26, 2026House
    Immediate message. H.J. 460 .
  9. Feb 26, 2026HouseFloor
    Passed House , yeas 86, nays 4. H.J. 444 .
  10. Feb 19, 2026HouseIntroduced
    Introduced, placed on calendar. H.J. 346 .
  11. Feb 19, 2026Iowa Legislature
    Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 2615 .
  12. Feb 17, 2026House
    Committee vote: Yeas, 22. Nays, 1. H.J. 319 .
  13. Feb 17, 2026House
    Committee report, recommending passage. H.J. 319 .
  14. Feb 11, 2026Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee recommends passage.
  15. Feb 9, 2026Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee Meeting: 02/11/2026 12:00PM RM 102.
  16. Feb 4, 2026Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee recommends passage.
  17. Feb 3, 2026House
    Subcommittee: Hora, Behn and Cooling. H.J. 197 .
  18. Feb 3, 2026HouseIntroduced
    Introduced, referred to Agriculture. H.J. 195 .
  19. Feb 3, 2026Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee Meeting: 02/04/2026 2:00PM Room 217 Conference Room.
  20. Feb 3, 2026Senate
    Subcommittee: Green, Bisignano, and Bousselot. S.J. 190 .
  21. Jan 27, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Introduced, referred to State Government. S.J. 143 .

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Mike PikeSenate · District 20RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Amy SinclairSenate · District 12RepublicanCosponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Legislative Reversal of Commission Interpretation

The General Assembly enacted explicit legislative findings to counter a recent decision or interpretation by the state racing and gaming commission that allowed same-day races without owner and licensee agreement.

State Racing And Gaming Commission

Connected Entities

Polk, State Racing And Gaming Commission
locationPolk“Location of the horse racetrack”Map →
OrganizationState Racing And Gaming Commission“State commission with oversight over racing seasons”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.legis.iowa.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance45
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy30
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz15
    Current news / social attention level

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