---
type: "Bill"
title: "Authorizes New Jersey Racing Commission to grant special horse racing permit for steeplechase races; allows wagering on such races."
description: "Authorizes New Jersey Racing Commission to grant special horse racing permit for steeplechase races; allows wagering on such races."
jurisdiction: "us/states/nj"
legislature: "New Jersey Legislature"
session: "217"
identifier: "A 1697"
citation: "New Jersey A 1697 (217)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["HORSE RACING"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Bateman, Christopher", "Bramnick, Jon M.", "Burzichelli, John J.", "Caputo, Ralph R.", "Dancer, Ronald S.", "Houghtaling, Eric", "Kean, Thomas H."]
version_count: 2
action_count: 8
vote_count: 4
first_action: "2016-01-27T05:00:00+00:00"
last_action: "2016-09-14T04:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/c3561266-be29-40ae-bbbc-723a7059f0e3"
source_url: "http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/downloads.asp"
source_hash: "f74ca5bf2d85ee4521f4d762ee4988decf58c67c8c0ae455ff96cde60a23f0c7"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-nj"]
---

# New Jersey A 1697 (217) — Authorizes New Jersey Racing Commission to grant special horse racing permit for steeplechase races; allows wagering on such races.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced Version** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2016/Bills/A2000/1697_I1.HTM)
2. **Reprint** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2016/Bills/A2000/1697_R1.HTM)

## Votes

- Reported favorably out of committee — **5–0** (pass) · legislature
- 3RDG FINAL PASSAGE — **79–0** (pass) · legislature
- Reported out of Assembly committee with amendments — **6–0** (pass) · legislature
- 3RDG FINAL PASSAGE — **38–0** (pass) · legislature

## Sponsors

- Bateman, Christopher — primary (person)
- Bramnick, Jon M. — primary (person)
- Burzichelli, John J. — primary (person)
- Caputo, Ralph R. — primary (person)
- Dancer, Ronald S. — primary (person)
- Houghtaling, Eric — primary (person)
- Kean, Thomas H. — primary (person)
- Beck, Jennifer — cosponsor (person)
- Clifton, Robert D. — cosponsor (person)
- Coughlin, Craig J. — cosponsor (person)
- Handlin, Amy H. — cosponsor (person)
- O'Toole, Kevin J. — cosponsor (person)
- Peterson, Erik — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2016-01-27T05:00:00+00:00** Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee `introduction, referral-committee`
- **2016-06-02T04:00:00+00:00** Reported out of Assembly Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading `committee-passage`
- **2016-06-27T04:00:00+00:00** Passed Assembly (79-0-0) `passage`
- **2016-06-30T04:00:00+00:00** Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee `referral-committee`
- **2016-07-14T04:00:00+00:00** Reported out of Senate Committee, 2nd Reading `committee-passage`
- **2016-08-01T04:00:00+00:00** Substituted for S2394 (1R)
- **2016-08-01T04:00:00+00:00** Passed Senate (Passed Both Houses) (38-0) `passage`
- **2016-09-14T04:00:00+00:00** Approved P.L.2016, c.54. `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/c3561266-be29-40ae-bbbc-723a7059f0e3`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official New Jersey legislature records).