Cal. Code Regs. tit. 4 § 1500.1

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 49, December 6, 2024
Section 1500.1 - Random Drug Testing
(a) To ensure the safety and integrity of horse racing, jockeys, apprentice jockeys and drivers are subject to random drug testing, as well as testing based upon reasonable suspicion, as provided in this Division. Failure to submit to or to complete a drug test at the time, location, and manner directed by the Board or its representatives shall constitute a refusal to be tested. A jockey, apprentice jockey or driver who fails to submit to or to complete a drug test shall immediately be prohibited from riding or driving in any race at a facility under the jurisdiction of the Board until a negative test result is achieved.
(1) Random drug testing shall be conducted at the direction of the Executive Director on an unannounced basis before or after the jockey's or driver's performance of duties. The names of all jockeys, apprentice jockeys or drivers who appear on the official program the day random drug testing is conducted shall be placed in a secured container which shall be in the custody of the supervising investigator. Prior to the first race of the program, the supervising investigator shall draw nine names. If a name is selected more than once during a race meeting, it shall be eliminated and another selection made.
(2) Representatives of the Jockey's Guild or the California Harness Horsemen's Association may attend and witness the random selection of names.
(3) For race meetings with duration of up to five months, random drug testing shall occur at least once during the course of the meeting. For the purposes of this regulation, the Northern California fair circuit shall be considered as one race meeting.
(4) For race meetings with duration of six or more months, random drug testing shall occur at least twice during the course of the meeting.
(b) Each urine specimen received from a jockey, apprentice jockey or driver shall be divided into two separate parts. One portion shall be designated as the official jockey/driver test sample and shall be tested by a Board approved official laboratory. The remaining portion of the specimen shall be known as the jockey/driver split sample and shall be available for testing at a Board approved independent laboratory upon the request of the individual who provided the specimen. The Board makes no guarantees as to the amount of the specimen that will be available for the jockey/driver split sample. All specimens taken by representatives of the Board are under the jurisdiction of and shall remain the property of the Board at all times.
(1) For the purposes of this regulation "Board approved official laboratory" and "Board approved independent laboratory" means a California laboratory certified by the United States Department of Health and Human Services under the National Laboratory Certification Program as meeting the minimum standards to engage in urine drug testing for federal agencies. A list of certified laboratories shall be available at the CHRB headquarters office.
(2) Each urine specimen shall be tested for the following prohibited drugs or classes of drugs:
(A) Marijuana metabolites.
(B) Cocaine metabolites.
(C) Amphetamines.
(D) Opiate metabolites.
(E) Phencyclidine (PCP).
(c) The Board approved official laboratory shall immediately and confidentially report to the Executive Director or his designee any positive finding for any of the drugs or classes of drugs described in subsection (b)(2)(A) through (b)(2)(E) of this regulation. The Board approved official laboratory shall also transmit a confidential written report of the finding to the Executive Director within five working days after the notification is made.
(d) When the Executive Director or his designee is notified of a positive finding by the Board approved official laboratory, the Executive Director or his designee shall notify a supervising investigator. The supervising investigator shall confidentially notify the jockey, apprentice jockey or driver who shall:
(1) Immediately be prohibited from riding or driving in any race at a facility under the jurisdiction of the Board, and
(2) Shall have 72 hours from the date he or she is notified to request that the jockey/driver split sample of the official jockey/driver test sample that was found to contain a prohibited drug or class of drug, be tested by an Board approved independent laboratory.
(e) If the jockey, apprentice jockey or driver wishes to have the jockey/driver split sample tested, he or she shall comply with the following procedures:
(1) The request shall be made on the form CHRB-217 (New 3/11) Request to Release Jockey/Driver Split Sample, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Form CHRB-217 shall be made available at all CHRB offices, and at the CHRB website.
(2) The jockey, apprentice jockey or driver requesting to have the jockey/driver split sample tested shall be responsible for all charges and costs incurred in transporting and testing the jockey/driver split sample. By signing CHRB-217 the jockey, apprentice jockey or driver certifies he or she has made arrangements for payment to the designated independent Board approved laboratory for laboratory testing services.
(3) Verification of payment for costs incurred in transporting and testing the jockey/driver split sample must be received by the CHRB within five working days from the CHRB receipt of CHRB-217. If such verification of payment is not received, the jockey/driver split sample will not be released or shipped to the designated Board approved independent laboratory and the jockey, apprentice jockey or driver will have relinquished his/her right to have the split sample tested. If a complaint issues, the only test results that will be considered will be the results from the Board approved official laboratory.
(f) Upon receipt of a valid request on CHRB-217, CHRB-217A (New 3/11) Authorization to Release Jockey/driver Split Sample Evidence, which is hereby incorporated by reference, shall be completed and the Board shall ensure that the jockey/driver split sample is sent to the designated Board approved independent laboratory for testing.
(1) If the findings by the Board approved independent laboratory fail to confirm the findings of a prohibited drug or class of drug as reported by the Board approved official laboratory, it shall be presumed that a prohibited drug or class of drug was not present in the official jockey/driver test sample.
(g) A jockey, apprentice jockey or driver who fails to request the testing of the jockey/driver split sample in accordance with the procedures specified in this rule shall be deemed to have waived his or her right to have the split sample tested.
(h) Unless or until the Board files an official complaint or accusation, results of the official jockey/driver test sample and the jockey/driver split sample shall be, and shall remain confidential. No test results may be released to any person or organization unless such release is explicitly required under this regulation. Only the Executive Director or the Executive Director's designee, the Board, and the jockey, apprentice jockey or driver shall receive the results.
(i) The Board may take into consideration the possession of a valid and current Medical Marijuana Program Identification Card issued in accordance with the Medical Marijuana Program of the California Department of Public Health in determining whether or not to file an official complaint or accusation against a jockey, apprentice jockey or driver who tests positive for marijuana metabolites.
(j) For the purposes of this regulation, random drug testing shall be accomplished by the taking of urine specimens; however, the Board retains the right to direct a jockey, apprentice jockey or driver to submit to a drug test by methods including, but not limited to, blood, hair follicle or skin.

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 4, § 1500.1

1. New section filed 9-7-2011; operative 10-7-2011 (Register 2011, No. 36).

Note: Authority cited: Sections 19420, 19440 and 19520, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Sections 19440, 19520 and 19521, Business and Professions Code.

1. New section filed 9-7-2011; operative 10-7-2011 (Register 2011, No. 36).