Florida Senate

Groundhog Day isn't for another 2 1/2 weeks, but when a Florida House of Representatives subcommittee on Wednesday debated a newly retooled version of previously controversial decoupling legislation that is being pushed by Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs, there was a distinct flavor of deja vu in the Tallahassee state house. Just like in 2025, a similar group of legislators on the House Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee were considering essentially the same proposed bill that would allow either of Florida's two Thoroughbred tracks to cease live racing while...

A Florida senator pre-filed Thoroughbred decoupling legislation Friday that contains similar language to a bill that got introduced pre-session in that state's House of Representatives 17 days ago. This latest move was expected, according to a Jan. 9 post by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association (FTBOA) on the X social media platform. "The FTBOA built Florida's protective framework. A Senate companion is how these bills move, and we are prepared," said Lonny Powell, the FTBOA's chief executive officer, in the X post. Like HB 881 from Rep. Adam...