(a) The commission shall appoint at least three individuals to serve as stewards or racing judges at each horse or greyhound race meeting, but not more than three such stewards or judges shall be on duty at any one time at any racing performance. One shall be designated as the chief steward or chief racing judge and the other two as associate stewards or associate racing judges. Such stewards and racing judges shall be employees of the commission who shall serve at the pleasure of the commission under the supervision of the executive director and shall be in the unclassified service under the Kansas civil service act. The commission also may contract with individuals to serve as stewards or racing judges as needed in the absence of a full-time steward or racing judge. The compensation of the stewards and racing judges shall be an amount fixed by the commission and shall be paid by the commission. The commission may require an organization licensee to reimburse the commission for compensation paid to the stewards and racing judges for their services performed at race meetings conducted by that organization licensee. Any moneys received by the commission for that purpose shall be remitted by the commission to the state treasurer in accordance with the provisions of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 75-4215, and amendments thereto. Upon receipt of each such remittance, the state treasurer shall deposit the entire amount in the state treasury to the credit of the racing reimbursable expense fund created by Kan. Stat. Ann. § 74-8827, and amendments thereto. All other racing officials at a race meeting shall be approved by the commission and compensated by the organization licensee. The stewards, racing judges and other racing officials shall enforce the civil provisions of this act and any rules and regulations of the commission and shall submit written reports of the activities and conduct of the race meetings to the commission.

(b) Each steward or racing judge shall be required to obtain an occupation license from the commission pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 74-8816, and amendments thereto, prior to performing any duties as a steward or a judge, except that an unlicensed employee of the commission may serve as a steward or racing judge on a temporary basis if the employee has had the same criminal history record check, background investigation and training, and has passed the same examination, as required for other stewards and racing judges.

(c) The commission shall require each applicant for a license as a steward or racing judge to pass an examination on matters relating to the duties of stewards or racing judges unless the applicant submits proof satisfactory to the commission that the applicant has passed an examination in another jurisdiction which the commission finds equivalent to the examination given by the commission. Examinations shall be held at such times and places as determined by the commission. Notice of the times and places of the examinations shall be given as determined by the commission. The commission shall prepare both written and oral examinations to be taken by persons applying for licensure as stewards or racing judges, requesting and taking into consideration suggestions from representatives of horsemen and horsewomen, greyhound owners, organization licensees, stewards, racing judges and other interested and knowledgeable parties as to the content thereof.

(d) The commission may examine any person who:

(1) Has not been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude or of a felony;

(2) has completed an accredited senior high school or its equivalent;

(3) has been given a physical examination by a licensed physician within 60 days prior to the date of application for the steward’s or racing judge’s examination, indicating at least 20/20 vision or vision corrected to at least 20/20, and normal hearing ability;

(4) has: (A) At least five years’ experience in the horse or greyhound racing industry as a licensed trainer or jockey; (B) at least 10 years’ experience in the horse or greyhound racing industry as a licensed owner whose experience, knowledge, ability and integrity relative to the industry are known to the commission; (C) at least three years’ experience as a licensed racing official, racing secretary, assistant racing secretary or director of racing; or (D) experience in the racing industry of a character and for a length of time sufficient, in the opinion of the commission, to be substantially equivalent to the experience requirement of subsection (d)(4)(A), (B) or (C).

(e) For the purpose of subsection (d)(4), one year’s experience shall mean at least 100 days actually worked within one calendar year. An original license for a steward or racing judge issued pursuant to the provisions of this act shall be issued for the calendar year in which it is issued and shall be renewable for a period not to exceed three years as established by rules and regulations of the commission. The commission shall establish a license fee schedule consistent with the different periods for which such licenses may be granted. The license shall be valid at all race meetings in this state during the period for which it is issued, unless it is suspended or revoked prior to the expiration of such period.