[Text of section effective until July 31, 2019. Repealed by 2011, 194, Sec. 39. See 2011, 194, Sec. 112 as amended by 2014, 165, Sec. 192; 2016, 176, Sec. 12B; 2017, 56, Sec. 14; and 2018, 159, Sec. 14.]

Section 13A. The provisions of section one hundred and eighty-one of chapter one hundred and forty and the provisions of said chapter relative to the powers and duties of dog officers and of sections thirty-one, thirty-three and thirty-four of chapter two hundred and seventy-one, and of chapter four hundred and ninety-four of the acts of nineteen hundred and eight, shall not apply to race tracks or racing meetings laid out and conducted by licensees under this chapter or to animals eligible to race at such meetings; except that no license shall be granted by the commission for a racing meeting in any city or town, except in connection with a state or county fair, unless the location of the race track where such meeting is to be held or conducted has been once approved by the mayor and city council or the town council or the selectmen as provided by said section thirty-three of said chapter two hundred and seventy-one, after a public hearing, seven days' notice of the time and place of which hearing shall have been given by posting in a conspicuous public place in such city or town and by publication in a newspaper published in such city or town, if there is any published therein, otherwise in a newspaper published in the county wherein such city or town is situated.

The approval of a location by a mayor and city council shall be deemed to be a measure within the provisions of section forty-two of chapter forty-three and the provisions of said sections shall apply to every city; provided, however, that such approval, if not rescinded as provided in said sections, shall be submitted to the voters of the city at a special election which shall be called by the city council and shall be held within forty-five days of the filing of the petition protesting such approval taking effect.

The approval of a location by a town council, in a town having a town council, and by the selectmen in any other town, upon petition of twelve per cent of the voters of the town filed with the town clerk protesting against such approval taking effect shall be suspended from taking effect and the town council or the selectmen, as the case may be, shall immediately reconsider such approval, and if such approval is not rescinded, the question of such approval shall be submitted to the voters of the town at a special election which shall be called by the selectmen or town council, as the case may be, and which shall be held within forty-five days of the submission of said petition. Such approval shall become null and void unless a majority of the voters voting on the same at said election vote in the affirmative.