Scientific medication control committees

(a) In general For purposes of developing, updating, and implementing a set of proposed rules with respect to horseracing scientific medication control for covered horses, covered persons, and covered horseraces, the RHSO shall establish a scientific medication control committee with respect to each breed of horses involved in a covered horserace, as follows: (1) A Standardbred Racing Scientific Medication Control Committee. (2) A Quarter Horse Racing Scientific Medication Control Committee. (3) A Thoroughbred Racing Scientific Medication Control Committee. (b) Duties Each scientific medication control committee shall draft proposed rules regarding scientific medication control, in accordance with subsection (e), and shall recommend the proposed rules to the Board. (c) Meetings Except as provided in subsection (e), meetings of a scientific medication control committee may be closed. (d) Membership (1) Composition Each scientific medication control committee shall be composed of 7 members, as follows: (A) Regulatory members Three members of each scientific medication control committee shall be appointed— (i) by the Board from within the equine industry; and (ii) based on their knowledge of equine exercise physiology, forensic toxicology, or equine pharmacology. (B) Industry members Four members of each scientific medication control committee shall be appointed as follows: (i) For the Standardbred Racing Scientific Medication Control Committee, such appointments shall be made by the United States Trotting Association. (ii) For the Quarter Horse Racing Scientific Medication Control Committee, such appointments shall be made by the American Quarter Horse Association. (iii) For the Thoroughbred Racing Scientific Medication Control Committee, such appointments shall be made by the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association. (2) Qualifications (A) In general The members of a scientific medication control committee appointed under paragraph (1)(B) shall— (i) have significant, recent experience in medication control or toxicology research; and (ii) hold a doctorate of philosophy or equivalent degree. (B) Additional qualifications Of the members appointed under paragraph (1)(B)— (i) at least 1 member shall be a mathematician or statistician with experience in threshold determination; (ii) at least 1 member shall be an equine exercise physiologist; (iii) at least 1 member shall be an equine pharmacologist; and (iv) at least 1 member shall be an analytical chemist. (3) Term (A) In general Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the term of each member of a scientific medication control committee shall not exceed 3 years. (B) Initial term For purposes of staggering the terms of appointment, the members first appointed under paragraph (1)(A) shall serve an initial term of 4 years. (C) Limitation No member of a scientific medication control committee may serve as a member on more than 2 scientific medication control committees. (D) No term limits The term of a member of a scientific medication control committee is renewable for an indefinite number of terms. (4) Chairperson The chairperson of each scientific medication control committee shall be elected annually from among the members of the scientific medication control committee by majority vote of the scientific medication control committee. (5) Conflicts of interest Each member appointed to a scientific medication control committee shall, before the beginning of any meeting of the scientific medication control committee, declare any conflicts of interest directly pertinent to the agenda of such meeting. (6) Quorum In order to consider at a meeting any rule being proposed to the Board, each scientific medication control committee shall have in attendance at such a meeting (either in person or remotely) a majority of the members of the scientific medication control committee. (e) Rules for scientific medical control (1) Adoption of rules Not later than 90 days before the consideration of a rule (or a modification to such a rule), each scientific medication control committee shall hold an open meeting at which covered persons or their representatives may provide input. (2) Notice of meeting Not later than 45 days before the date on which the meeting referred to in paragraph (1) is to be held, the agenda, location, and date of such meeting shall be— (A) posted on the internet website of the RHSO; (B) submitted to the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, the Harness Racing Medication Collaborative, and the American Quarter Horse Association Medication Committee; and (C) provided to any individual or entity requesting such information. (3) Recording of input If any input from a covered person (or a representative of a covered person) is provided during a meeting referred to in paragraph (1), or provided in writing, such input shall be transcribed and recorded and made part of the record of the scientific medication control committee concerned. (4) Review of medication and threshold rules (A) In general Each scientific medication control committee shall review— (i) all existing medication and threshold rules issued by State racing commissions with respect to covered horses; and (ii) all available research on medication thresholds for covered horses. (B) Penalty recommendations A scientific medication control committee may revise penalty recommendations with respect to each substance reviewed as part of the medication and threshold review under subparagraph (A). (C) Medications Each scientific medication control committee shall— (i) review the development of any new medication on an ongoing basis to determine whether such medication should be subject to the medication control rules issued pursuant to section 101(c); and (ii) if the scientific medication control committee determines that such a medication should be subject to such rules, the scientific medication control committee shall develop and submit to the Board for approval proposed modifications to such rules to include such medication.