Washington Horse Racing Commission declines to pay 2026 HISA assessment, will seek limited grants

The Washington Horse Racing Commission voted March 27 to decline payment of the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority’s 2026 assessment and to explore limited grant assistance and budget options for 2027.

Chair Doug Moore opened the special meeting at 9:30 a.m. and said the only agenda item was the 2026 HISA assessment fee. Executive Secretary Amanda Benton summarized packet materials and budget projections, telling the commission: “So currently, the assessment fee is 479,000.” Benton said the appropriation the commission received in ESSB documents and other packet items left the agency with a projected end-of-biennium fund balance that, after expected summer spending, would likely be insufficient to cover the full HISA assessment. “In my opinion, based on this, we cannot pay the HISA fees in full,” Benton said.

Benton reviewed the background numbers in the packet: an original Washington assessment figure of $1,302,706, credits noted in correspondence that reduced the assessment, and a separate $200,000 grant Emerald Downs received last year that Benton said would be applied to 2026 fees, leaving about $279,000 remaining to be covered. She told commissioners the agency had a $50,000 grants line in current projections and that adding another $50,000 would allow approximately $100,000 in assistance while still preserving capacity to operate through the 2027 race meet.

Commission discussion focused on whether covering the full request would imperil the agency’s ability to operate into late 2027 and what levers existed to restore revenue, including possible adjustments to the source-market fee. One commissioner said it would be “irresponsible” to agree to pay the full assessment when staff projections showed the agency could not afford it.

A commissioner moved to decline payment of the 2026 HISA assessment and Moore seconded. The motion carried on a voice vote; the commission directed staff to notify HISA that the commission would not pick up the assessment for 2026 and to immediately begin coordinating with Emerald Downs and horsemen on grant requests, credits and potential splits of costs. Commissioners and track representatives discussed pursuing credits and submitting a decision package to the governor’s office for additional support for fiscal 2027.

The meeting ended at 9:47 a.m. with the commission agreeing to explore limited grant assistance (staff estimated roughly $100,000 could be made available under current projections) and to prepare budget materials and a decision package to seek further support for 2027.