HB 3020 revises Oregon’s racing laws to remove greyhound racing from the state’s regulatory framework and to prohibit wagering on greyhound or other dog races, regardless of where the race occurs. It also updates numerous provisions in ORS chapter 462 to reflect a horse-and-mule racing system, including licensing, race-meet operations, mutuel wagering, off-track wagering, insurance, bond requirements, and the allocation of wagering revenues. The bill preserves and clarifies the Oregon Racing Commission’s authority over horse and mule racing, simulcasting, account wagering, and previously held horse races, while eliminating obsolete greyhound-specific provisions.
The bill’s practical effect is to amend the state’s racing code so that licensing and fee structures apply primarily to horse and mule race meets and related off-track wagering facilities. It repeals statutes tied to greyhound racing and kennel operations, removes greyhound references from several sections, and bars race-meet licensees and totalizator hubs from accepting or facilitating dog-race wagers. The bill also delays operative implementation until July 1, 2027, giving the industry and the commission time to adjust to the revised regulatory structure.
HB 3020 appears to have broad legislative support, passing the House 48-8 and the Senate 16-12, with committee votes also favoring the measure. The overall sentiment in the voting record suggests support for modernizing and narrowing Oregon’s racing laws, especially by aligning them with the state’s current racing landscape and ending legal treatment of greyhound racing. The bill was introduced at the request of the Governor for the Oregon Racing Commission, which also suggests executive support.
The main point of contention is the elimination of greyhound racing and all related wagering and licensing provisions. Opponents likely focused on the impact on greyhound owners, breeders, kennel operators, and any businesses tied to dog-race wagering or training facilities, while supporters likely viewed the changes as a necessary update to state law and a policy decision to end dog racing in Oregon. Another possible area of concern is the redistribution of regulatory and wagering revenue away from greyhound-related funds and toward horse and mule racing structures and the General Fund.
HB 3020 substantially amends ORS chapter 462 by removing greyhound racing from Oregon’s race-meet licensing and wagering statutes, repealing greyhound-specific provisions, and prohibiting wagering on greyhound or other dog races anywhere. It preserves the Oregon Racing Commission’s authority over horse and mule racing, off-track wagering, simulcasting, and previously held horse races, while updating fees, licensing, bond, insurance, and revenue-distribution rules to match the remaining racing activities. The bill’s operative date is July 1, 2027, which delays the legal changes and gives affected parties time to transition.
The voting pattern indicates generally favorable sentiment toward the bill, with clear majorities in both chambers and committee approval. The measure appears to have been treated as a policy update to Oregon’s racing laws and a formal end to greyhound racing-related regulation. The fact that it was introduced at the request of the Governor for the Oregon Racing Commission also points to institutional support.
The central controversy is the bill’s explicit ban on wagering on greyhound and other dog races and the removal of greyhound-related licensing, fee, and purse provisions. That change directly affects greyhound owners, breeders, kennel operators, and any wagering or training operations tied to dog racing. A secondary point of contention is the reallocation of racing-related revenues and statutory attention toward horse and mule racing, which may be viewed as beneficial by supporters of the remaining industry but as a loss by those tied to greyhound racing.