HB 0127 2004
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to pugilistic contests and exhibitions;
3	providing a popular name; amending s. 548.002, F.S.;
4	defining the term "amateur sanctioning organization";
5	revising certain definitions to apply them to both amateur
6	and professional participants; amending s. 548.003, F.S.;
7	providing the Florida State Boxing Commission the
8	responsibility for, and the authority to adopt rules
9	relating to, the approval of amateur sanctioning
10	organizations for amateur boxing and kickboxing matches
11	held in the state; amending s. 548.006, F.S.; limiting
12	required certification of competitiveness of mixed martial
13	arts and kickboxing matches to professional matches;
14	expanding power of the commission to control pugilistic
15	contests and exhibitions to include exclusive jurisdiction
16	over the approval of amateur sanctioning organizations for
17	amateur boxing and kickboxing matches; specifying
18	requirements for the holding of professional and amateur
19	matches; creating s. 548.0065, F.S.; prohibiting certain
20	amateur matches except under certain circumstances;
21	prohibiting approval of amateur sanctioning organizations
22	not meeting and enforcing certain health and safety
23	standards and not meeting certain other background,
24	training, and experience requirements; providing for
25	periodic checks for compliance with enforcement and
26	supervision requirements; requiring biennial or sooner, if
27	necessary, sanctioning review; providing for continuation,
28	suspension, or revocation of sanctioning approval pursuant
29	to such review; amending s. 548.008, F.S.; prohibiting the
30	holding of certain amateur matches not sanctioned and
31	supervised by an amateur sanctioning organization approved
32	by the commission; prohibiting the holding of amateur
33	mixed martial arts matches; prohibiting the holding of
34	professional matches not meeting the requirements of ch.
35	548, F.S., and rules adopted by the commission; providing
36	penalties for participating in or holding, promoting, or
37	sponsoring a prohibited match; deleting provisions
38	relating to professional or amateur toughman or badman
39	competitions; repealing s. 548.007, F.S., relating to
40	applicability of ch. 548, F.S., to amateur matches and
41	certain other matches or events; providing an effective
42	date.
43
44	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
45
46	Section 1. This act shall be known by the popular name the
47	"Stacy Young Act."
48	Section 2. Section 548.002, Florida Statutes, is amended
49	to read:
50	548.002 Definitions.--As used in this chapter act, the
51	term:
52	(1) "Amateur" means a person who has never received nor
53	competed for any purse or other article of value, either for the
54	expenses of training or for participating in a match, other than
55	a prize of $50 in value or less.
56	(2) "Amateur sanctioning organization" means any business
57	entity organized for sanctioning and supervising matches
58	involving amateurs.
59	(3)(2)"Boxing" means to compete with the fists.
60	(4)(3)"Commission" means the Florida State Boxing
61	Commission.
62	(5)(4)"Concessionaire" means any person or business
63	entity not licensed as a promoter which receives revenues or
64	other compensation from the sale of tickets or from the sale of
65	souvenirs, programs, broadcast rights, or any other concessions
66	in conjunction with the promotion of a match.
67	(6)(5)"Contest" means a boxing, kickboxing, or mixed
68	martial arts engagement in which persons participating the
69	participants strive earnestly to win using, but not necessarily
70	being limited to, strikes and blows to the head.
71	(7)(6)"Department" means the Department of Business and
72	Professional Regulation.
73	(8)(7)"Exhibition" means a boxing, kickboxing, or mixed
74	martial arts engagement in which persons participating the
75	participantsshow or display their skill without necessarily
76	striving to win using, but not necessarily being limited to,
77	strikes and blows to the head.
78	(9)(8)"Foreign copromoter" means a promoter who has no
79	place of business within this state.
80	(10)(9)"Judge" means a person who has a vote in
81	determining the winner of any contest.
82	(11)(10)"Kickboxing" means to compete with the fists,
83	feet, legs, or any combination thereof, and includes "punchkick"
84	and other similar competitions.
85	(12)(11)"Manager" means any person who, directly or
86	indirectly, controls or administers the boxing, kickboxing, or
87	mixed martial arts affairs of any participant.
88	(13)(12)"Match" means any contest or exhibition.
89	(14)(13)"Matchmaker" means a person who brings together
90	professionals or arranges matches for professionals.
91	(15)(14)"Mixed martial arts" means unarmed combat
92	involving the use, subject to any applicable limitations set
93	forth in this chapter, of a combination of techniques from
94	different disciplines of the martial arts, including, but not
95	limited to, grappling, kicking, and striking.
96	(16)(15)"Participant" means a professional competing in a
97	boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts match.
98	(17)(16)"Physician" means an individual licensed to
99	practice medicine and surgery in this state.
100	(18)(17)"Professional" means a person who has received or
101	competed for any purse or other article of a value greater than
102	$50, either for the expenses of training or for participating in
103	any match.
104	(19)(18)"Promoter" means any person, and includes any
105	officer, director, employee, or stockholder of a corporate
106	promoter, who produces, arranges, or stages any match involving
107	a professional.
108	(20)(19)"Purse" means the financial guarantee or other
109	remuneration for which a professional is participating in a
110	match and includes the professional's share of any payment
111	received for radio broadcasting, television, and motion picture
112	rights.
113	(21)(20)"Second" or "cornerman" means a person who
114	assists the match participant between rounds and maintains the
115	corner of the participant during the match.
116	(22)(21)"Secretary" means the Secretary of Business and
117	Professional Regulation.
118	Section 3. Subsection (2) of section 548.003, Florida
119	Statutes, is amended to read:
120	548.003 Florida State Boxing Commission.--
121	(2) The Florida State Boxing Commission, as created by
122	subsection (1), shall administer the provisions of this chapter.
123	The commission has authority to adopt rules pursuant to ss.
124	120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of this
125	chapter and to implement each of the duties and responsibilities
126	conferred upon the commission, including, but not limited to:
127	(a) Development of an ethical code of conduct for
128	commissioners, commission staff, and commission officials.;
129	(b) Facility and safety requirements relating to the ring,
130	floor plan and apron seating, emergency medical equipment and
131	services, and other equipment and services necessary for the
132	conduct of a program of matches.;
133	(c) Requirements regarding a participant's apparel,
134	bandages, handwraps, gloves, mouthpiece, and appearance during a
135	match.;
136	(d) Requirements relating to a manager's participation,
137	presence, and conduct during a match.;
138	(e) Duties and responsibilities of all licensees under
139	this chapter.;
140	(f) Procedures for hearings and resolution of disputes.;
141	(g) Qualifications for appointment of referees and
142	judges.;
143	(h) Qualifications for and appointment of chief inspectors
144	and inspectors and duties and responsibilities of chief
145	inspectors and inspectors with respect to oversight and
146	coordination of activities for each program of matches regulated
147	under this chapter.;
148	(i) Designation and duties of a knockdown timekeeper.; and
149	(j) Setting fee and reimbursement schedules for referees
150	and other officials appointed by the commission or the
151	representative of the commission.
152	(k) Establishment of criteria for approval, disapproval,
153	suspension of approval, and revocation of approval of amateur
154	sanctioning organizations for amateur boxing and kickboxing
155	matches held in this state, including, but not limited to, the
156	health and safety standards the organizations use before,
157	during, and after the matches to ensure the health, safety, and
158	well-being of the amateurs participating in the matches,
159	including the qualifications and numbers of health care
160	personnel required to be present, the qualifications required
161	for referees, and other requirements relating to the health,
162	safety, and well-being of the amateurs participating in the
163	matches.
164	Section 4. Section 548.006, Florida Statutes, is amended
165	to read:
166	548.006 Power of commission to control professional and
167	amateurpugilistic contests and exhibitions; certification of
168	competitiveness of professionalmixed martial arts and
169	kickboxing matches.--
170	(1) The commission has exclusive jurisdiction over every
171	match held within the state which involves a professional.
172	(2) As to professionalmixed martial arts and kickboxing,
173	until a central repository of match records for each exists and
174	is approved by the commission, the matchmaker shall certify as
175	to the competitiveness of each match.
176	(3) The commission has exclusive jurisdiction over
177	approval, disapproval, suspension of approval, and revocation of
178	approval of all amateur sanctioning organizations for amateur
179	boxing and kickboxing matches held in this state.
180	(4)(3) Professional and amateurmatches shall be held in
181	accordance with this chapter and the rules adopted by the
182	commission.
183	Section 5. Section 548.0065, Florida Statutes, is created
184	to read:
185	548.0065 Amateur matches; sanctioning and supervision;
186	health and safety standards; compliance checks; continuation,
187	suspension, and revocation of sanctioning approval.--
188	(1) No match involving amateurs that utilizes, but is not
189	necessarily limited to, strikes or blows to the head may be held
190	in this state unless it is sanctioned and supervised by an
191	amateur sanctioning organization approved by the commission. An
192	approved amateur sanctioning organization may only sanction and
193	supervise the contests or exhibitions in the particular sport or
194	sports for which it has expertise and for which it is approved
195	by the commission.
196	(2) The commission may not approve any amateur sanctioning
197	organization for boxing whose health and safety standards are
198	less stringent than those of USA Boxing and for kickboxing whose
199	health and safety standards are less stringent than those of the
200	International Sport Kickboxing Association.
201	(3) The commission may not approve any amateur sanctioning
202	organization unless it has adopted and agreed to enforce a
203	defined set of standards that applies to all matches which will
204	adequately protect the health and safety of the amateurs
205	participating in the matches and the public and can adequately
206	demonstrate to the satisfaction of the commission that the
207	principals of the organization have sufficient background,
208	training, and experience in sanctioning and supervising matches
209	for which the organization is approved.
210	(4) Periodic compliance checks may be performed by a
211	representative of the commission designated by the executive
212	director in order to ensure enforcement of approved health and
213	safety standards and supervision of matches by the approved
214	amateur sanctioning organization.
215	(5) Notwithstanding any provision of chapter 120, any
216	member of the commission or the executive director of the
217	commission may, upon her or his own motion or upon the verified
218	written complaint of any person charging the approved amateur
219	sanctioning organization with failure to supervise the amateur
220	matches or to enforce the approved health and safety standards
221	required under this chapter, suspend the approval of the
222	organization to sanction and supervise amateur matches. The
223	commission shall hold a hearing within 10 days after the date on
224	which the approval is suspended.
225	(6) The commission shall review its approval of the
226	amateur sanctioning organization at least biennially, or sooner
227	if determined necessary based upon the periodic compliance
228	checks or complaints to the commission, to determine
229	continuation of approval. The commission may continue approval
230	or may suspend or revoke approval based upon compliance of the
231	organization with the approved sanctioning standards and its
232	ability to supervise matches in the state.
233	Section 6. Section 548.008, Florida Statutes, is amended
234	to read:
235	548.008 Toughman and badman competition Prohibited
236	competitions.--
237	(1) No match involving amateurs that utilizes, but is not
238	necessarily limited to, strikes or blows to the head may be held
239	in this state unless it is sanctioned and supervised by an
240	amateur sanctioning organization approved by the commission as
241	required by this chapter.
242	(2) No amateur mixed martial arts match may be held in
243	this state.
244	(3) No professional match may be held in this state unless
245	it meets the requirements for holding the match as provided in
246	this chapter and the rules adopted by the commission.
247	(1) No professional or amateur toughman or badman match,
248	as described in this section, may be held in this state. Such
249	competition includes any contest or exhibition where
250	participants compete by using a combination of skills. Such
251	skills may include, but are not limited to, boxing, wrestling,
252	kicking, or martial arts skills. Notwithstanding the above, this
253	section shall not preclude kickboxing or mixed martial arts as
254	regulated by this chapter.
255	(4)(a)(2) Any person participating in a match prohibited
256	under this section, knowing the match to be prohibited, commits
257	or promoting a professional or amateur toughman or badman match
258	is guilty ofa misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as
259	provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
260	(b) Any person holding, promoting, or sponsoring a match
261	prohibited under this section commits a felony of the third
262	degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s.
263	775.084.
264	Section 7. Section 548.007, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
265	Section 8. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.