Appeals court rules in favor of Texas opponents to federal horseracing rules act

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A federal appeals court has ruled that Congress gave too much power to a nonprofit authority it created in 2020 to develop and enforce horseracing rules.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Friday that the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act is “facially unconstitutional.” The authority created by the act was meant to bring uniform policies and enforcement to horseracing amid doping scandals and racetrack horse deaths. But, the 5th Circuit ruled in favor of opponents of the act in Louisiana, West Virginia and Texas.

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority said it would appeal.