5-115. Violation; classification; civil penalties

A. At any racing meeting conducted under this article, a person is guilty of a class 4 felony, if the person:

1. Knowingly influences or has any understanding or connivance with any official, owner, jockey, trainer, groom, starter, assistant starter or other person associated with a stable, kennel or race in which any horse or dog participates to predetermine the result of a race.

2. Knowingly gives or offers a bribe in any form to any official, owner, trainer, jockey, driver or groom, starter or assistant starter or any other person licensed by the department or accepts or solicits a bribe in any form.

3. Knowingly has in the person's possession or in use, while riding or driving in any horse race, any mechanical or electric device capable of affecting a horse's performance other than an ordinary whip.

4. Knowingly commits any other corrupt or fraudulent practice in relation to racing that affects or may affect the result of a race.

5. For the purpose of selling or offering to sell predictions on horse races, harness races or dog races, advertises that he has predicted the outcome of any race that has been run in this state, unless the person has notified in writing the department or a representative of the department of his predictions at least three hours before the race involved on forms prescribed by the department.  A person shall not advertise the fact that he has notified the department or use the name of the department in any way whatsoever to promote the activities described in this section. For the purposes of this paragraph, "advertise" means the use of any newspaper, magazine or other publication, book, notice, circular, pamphlet, letter, handbill, tip sheet, poster, bill, sign, placard, card, label, tag window display, store sign, radio or television announcement, or other means or methods now or hereafter employed to bring to the attention of the public information concerning the outcome of horse or dog races. Nothing contained in this paragraph applies to any daily newspaper of general circulation that is regularly entered in the United States mail, or any other daily publication carrying complete past performances of horses or dogs entered in races, or to any regularly published magazine or periodical devoted to racing news, that has been published for at least two years.

B. It is a class 4 felony for:

1. A trainer or owner to enter a horse in a race if the trainer or owner knows that the horse is drugged or desensitized and that the racing performance of the animal is affected.

2. A person to perform the drugging or desensitizing of a horse if the person knows that the horse will compete in a race while so drugged or desensitized and knows that the racing performance of the animal is affected.

3. A person to intentionally fail to notify a steward as soon as reasonably possible that a horse entered in a race is drugged or desensitized or that a horse was not properly made available for the required tests or inspections and knows that the racing performance of the animal may be affected.

4. A person to intentionally impair or alter the normal performance of a pari-mutuel wagering system with the intent to defraud or injure the state or a permittee. Alteration of the normal performance of a pari-mutuel system includes:

(a) Altering, changing or interfering with any equipment or device used in connection with pari-mutuel wagering.

(b) Causing any false, inaccurate, delayed or unauthorized data, impulse or signal to be fed into, transmitted over, registered in or displayed on any equipment or device used in connection with pari-mutuel wagering.

5. A person to impair or alter the normal operation of simulcast broadcasts by intentionally doing any of the following with the intent to defraud or injure the state or a permittee:

(a) Intercepting or decoding a transmission of a simulcast signal, either in whole or in part, which has been authorized in writing for the use of pari-mutuel wagering and that the director has not provided written authorization for the person to receive or decode.

(b) Without written authorization from the director, manufacturing, distributing or selling a device, a plan or a kit for a device capable of intercepting or decoding a transmission of a simulcast signal with the intent that the device, plan or kit be used for interception or decoding.

(c) Without written authorization from the director, possessing a device, a plan or a kit for a device capable of intercepting or decoding a transmission of a simulcast signal with the intent that the device, plan or kit be used for the interception or decoding.

C. The department, in addition to any criminal penalties provided in this chapter and in addition to suspension or revocation of a credential or a license, may levy a civil penalty as to a licensee or a holder of a credential as follows:

1. In an amount of not more than five thousand dollars for each violation of any provision of subsection A of this section.

2. In an amount of not more than two thousand five hundred dollars for each violation of any provision of this chapter that constitutes grounds for suspension or revocation of a credential or license, except for violation of those provisions contained in subsection A of this section. All sums paid to the department pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited, pursuant to sections 35-146 and 35-147, in the state general fund.

D. Any person who holds or conducts any racing meeting or operates an additional wagering facility without first complying with the provisions of this article, or any person who fails to submit to a drug test as directed by stewards or who violates any other provision of this article for which no other penalty is prescribed, is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.

E. A member of the commission or an employee of the department who at any time, directly or indirectly, knowingly receives any money, bribe, tip or other thing of value or service from any person connected with racing given with an intent to influence the member's or employee's official action, or any person connected with racing who, directly or indirectly, knowingly gives money, a bribe, a tip or any other thing of value or service to a member of the commission or an employee of the department with intent to influence the member's or employee's official action, is guilty of a class 4 felony.

F. A person who knowingly removes or alters, either directly or indirectly, any tattoo, other marking, device, coloration or special characteristic that is required by the department for the purpose of identifying a greyhound used or bred for racing purposes or a person who knowingly subjects a greyhound used or bred for racing purposes regulated under this chapter to grossly inhumane conditions or severe mistreatment is guilty of a class 6 felony. For the purposes of this subsection:

1. "Grossly inhumane conditions" means conditions arising from a person's reckless indifference to the consequences of an act or omission if the person, without any actual intent to injure, is aware from the person's knowledge of existing circumstances and conditions that the person's conduct will inevitably or probably result in injury to a greyhound used or bred for racing purposes.

2. "Severe mistreatment" means the infliction of physical pain, suffering or death on a greyhound used or bred for racing purposes in a manner that is either wanton or with reckless indifference to pain or suffering.