Sec. 1. 7 MRSA §76 is enacted to read:

§76. Agricultural Fair Support Fund

1. Fund created. The Treasurer of State shall establish an account to be known as the "Agricultural Fair Support Fund" and shall credit to it all the money received for that purpose under Title 8, section 923, subsection 1, paragraph A, subparagraph 4.

2. Disbursement. No later than January 31st of each year, all funds held as of the end of the previous calendar year in the Agricultural Fair Support Fund must be distributed by the Treasurer of State as follows:

A. Sixty percent of these funds must be distributed to all entities licensed as agricultural fairs by the department that during the previous year were licensed to and did accept pari-mutuel wagers on harness horse races.__Each licensed entity must receive a proportionate distribution based upon the number of days in the preceding year each licensee raced during its regular fair meet. The funds must be used by the fairs to supplement purses; and

B. Forty percent of these funds must be divided among all entities licensed as agricultural fairs by the department. These funds must be distributed in the same proportion as funds distributed for premium reimbursement and may be used at the fairs' discretion.

Sec. 2. 8 MRSA §263-C, sub-§4, as reallocated by PL 1999, c. 790, Pt. A, §8, is amended to read:

4. Duties. The executive director has the following duties:

A. Management of the work of the commission, including:

(1) Rulemaking;

(2) Processing appeals;

(3) Licensing of tracks and off-track betting facilities; and

(4) Setting race dates; and

(5)__Registration of slot machines and licensing of slot machine operators and slot machine distributors; and