Texas Commission to Step Up Licensing Practices

Because of increased concerns over homeland security, the Texas Racing Commission will soon require personnel to show proof of identity prior to receiving a license to work at a Texas racetrack. The new policy will become effective March 1.

Several documents will be accepted as valid forms of identification, including a current United States passport; naturalization certificate; Immigration and Naturalization Service document; active duty, reserve, or retired military identification card; and a current driver's license from any state, U.S. territory, or Canadian province.

Previously, racing commission officials only required an applicant to sign a form attesting to his or her identity.

"This is not something that was dreamed up to create aggravation for our members, but rather, it is based on an actual situation whereby someone came into a TRC licensing office and obtained a badge under false pretense," Texas Horsemen's Partnership executive director Tommy Azopardi said. "Then, they used the badge to get further documentation in another state."