Washington § 67.17.060 - Compact committee powers and duties.

In order to carry out the live horse racing compact, the compact committee is granted the power and duty to:

(1) Determine which categories of participants in live racing, including but not limited to owners, trainers, jockeys, grooms, mutuel clerks, racing officials, veterinarians, and farriers, should be licensed by the compact committee, and establish the requirements for the initial licensure of applicants in each such category, the term of the license for each category, and the requirements for renewal of licenses in each category. However, with regard to requests for criminal history record information on each applicant for a license, and with regard to the effect of a criminal record on the issuance or renewal of a license, the compact committee shall determine for each category of participants in live racing which licensure requirements for that category are, in its judgment, the most restrictive licensure requirements of any party state for that category and shall adopt licensure requirements for that category that are, in its judgment, comparable to those most restrictive requirements;

(2) Investigate applicants for a license from the compact committee and, as permitted by federal and state law, gather information on such applicants, including criminal history record information from the federal bureau of investigation and relevant state and local law enforcement agencies, and, where appropriate, from the royal Canadian mounted police and law enforcement agencies of other countries, necessary to determine whether a license should be issued under the licensure requirements established by the compact committee under subsection (1) of this section. Only officials on, and employees of, the compact committee may receive and review such criminal history record information, and those officials and employees may use that information only for the purposes of the compact. No such official or employee may disclose or disseminate such information to any person or entity other than another official on or employee of the compact committee. The fingerprints of each applicant for a license from the compact committee shall be taken by the compact committee, its employees, or its designee and shall be forwarded to a state identification bureau, or to an association of state officials regulating pari-mutuel wagering designated by the attorney general of the United States, for submission to the federal bureau of investigation for a criminal history record check. Such fingerprints may be submitted on a fingerprint card or by electronic or other means authorized by the federal bureau of investigation or other receiving law enforcement agency;

(3) Issue licenses to, and renew the licenses of, participants in live racing listed in subsection (1) of this section who are found by the compact committee to have met the licensure and renewal requirements established by the compact committee. The compact committee shall not have the power or authority to deny a license. If it determines that an applicant will not be eligible for the issuance or renewal of a compact committee license, the compact committee shall notify the applicant that it will not be able to process his or her application further. Such notification does not constitute and shall not be considered to be the denial of a license. Any such applicant has the right to present additional evidence to, and to be heard by, the compact committee, but the final decision on issuance or renewal of the license shall be made by the compact committee using the requirements established under subsection (1) of this section;

(4) Enter into contracts or agreements with governmental agencies and with nongovernmental persons to provide personal services for its activities and such other services as may be necessary to carry out the compact;

(5) Create, appoint, and abolish those offices, employments, and positions, including an executive director, as it deems necessary for the purposes of the compact, prescribe their powers, duties, and qualifications, hire persons to fill those offices, employments, and positions, and provide for the removal, term, tenure, compensation, fringe benefits, retirement benefits, and other conditions of employment of its officers, employees, and other positions;

(6) Borrow, accept, or contract for the services of personnel from any state, the United States, or any other governmental agency, or from any person, firm, association, corporation, or other entity;

(7) Acquire, hold, and dispose of real and personal property by gift, purchase, lease, license, or in other similar manner, in furtherance of the compact;

(8) Charge a fee to each applicant for an initial license or renewal of a license; and

(9) Receive other funds through gifts, grants, and appropriations.