Maryland member: J. Michael Hopkins, designee of Chair, State Racing Commission
Patrick Thompson, Executive Director
2365 Harrodsburg Road, Suite B-450, Lexington, KY 40504
(859) 224-0584; fax: (859) 224-0591
e-mail: pthompson@racinglicense.com
web: http://racinglicense.com/
The National Racing Compact Committee created by the Interstate Compact on Licensure of Participants in Live Horse Racing with Pari-mutuel Wagering is known as the National Racing Compact.
In 2000, the Compact was established when the first five states joined. In October 2006, Maryland joined the National Racing Compact (Chapter 180, Acts of 2006).
Authorized by ratifying states and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Compact is an independent, interstate agency that issues a national license to persons participating in horse racing where parimutuel betting takes place. It, in effect, allows people to apply once to be licensed in multiple racing jurisdictions in the United States. Its license is recognized by the fifteen Compact member states: Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.
Through a central licensing office, the Compact establishes standards for licensure, receives applications and fingerprints, analyzes criminal history record information, and issues licenses for horse owners, trainers, jockeys, and drivers.
The Compact is made up of one member from the racing commission or its equivalent in each member state. In Maryland, the State Racing Commission is part of the Division of Racing within the Maryland Department of Labor.
© Copyright Maryland State Archives