Assemblyman Bill Magee (D-Nelson) announced the Assembly’s 2017-18 state budget proposal would maintain Morrisville State College as the institution that oversees the testing of race horses’ blood and urine samples.
“Morrisville State’s management of the racehorse testing lab provides a cost-effective service to the state’s racing industry and gives students who participate in the Equine Racing Management program a chance to gain first-hand experience with the state’s racing industry,” said Magee, chair of the Assembly’s Agriculture Committee.
The executive’s budget proposal allows out-of-state laboratories to test for prohibited substances in blood and urine samples from racehorses, dealing a major blow to the Morrisville State’s affiliated lab, which currently provides these services. The laboratory, located in Ithaca, employs 20 professionals and provides students in the college’s Equine Racing Management program the ability to work closely with these scientists.
“It’s important we keep these jobs from leaving our state,” said Magee. “The racing laboratory overseen by Morrisville State does a good job testing for prohibited substances at our race tracks and as such, I will fight for a final state budget that ensures the college continues to oversee the state’s racehorse testing program to ensure we keep these jobs in New York State.”