Federal Judge Sides with AG
Jeff Landry, Blocks Enforcement of HISA Regulations in Louisiana
BATON ROUGE, LA – Louisiana
Attorney General Jeff Landry has won a victory over regulations imposed by an
unconditional and unfunded Congressional mandate that cedes much regulatory and
taxation power of the State to an unelected and unaccountable nongovernmental
entity.
Ruling in favor of Attorney
General Landry – Judge Terry Doughty of United States District Court in the
Western District of Louisiana has granted the State of Louisiana, State of West
Virginia, Louisiana State Racing Commission, Louisiana Horseman’s Benevolent
& Protective Association, Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association,
Jockeys Guild, West Virginia Racing Commission, and horse owners, trainers, and
jockeys a preliminary injunction against rules created from the Horseracing Integrity
& Safety Act of 2021 (HISA).
“I am grateful Judge Doughty
applied the law and blocked this federal overreach from devastating our State
and the thousands of Louisianans in the horse industry here,” said Attorney
General Landry. “Since becoming a State in 1812, Louisiana has not only
regulated horseracing but also built an entire culture around it with
the owners, trainers, jockeys, racetracks, and patrons.”
“Congress ramrodded HISA into the
COVID relief bill and recklessly set up this massive regulatory scheme that is
onerous at best on everyone; then to add insult to injury, it is paid for on
the backs of those who work the hardest and receive the least,” explained
Attorney General Landry.
As noted when Attorney General Landry filed
suit in June – HISA purports to effectively
substitute state regulatory commissions with a private corporation, setup 90
days prior to the passage of this Act, in charge of horseracing. This newly-created
private corporation then began to issue regulations – allowing very little time
for public comment, leaving those that actually labor under them with little
input or voice.
“The process of creating the law
and its associated regulations showed a reckless disregard for the thousands of
industry participants in Louisiana and a correspondingly reckless disregard for
the impact to our State,” added Attorney General Landry. “The regulations are
unclear, inconsistent, and violate due process; and I will continue to do all
that I legally can to halt them from taking effect in Louisiana.”