Bill Text: MO HB1600 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Prohibits the Office of Athletics from approving an amateur sanctioning organization for mixed martial arts and kickboxing unless it meets certain criteria
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-02-05 - Referred: Professional Registration and Licensing(H) [HB1600 Detail]
Download: Missouri-2014-HB1600-Introduced.html
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ROORDA.
4978L.01I D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To repeal section 317.001, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof two new sections relating to sanctioning bodies for amateur mix martial arts and kickboxing.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 317.001, RSMo, is repealed and two new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 317.001 and 317.100, to read as follows:
317.001. As used in [sections 317.001 to 317.021] this chapter, the following words and terms mean:
(1) "Amateur", a person who competes in a boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, or full-contact karate event who has not competed as a contestant for valuable consideration in any event in which similar boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, or full-contact karate skills were used or allowed;
(2) "Bout", one match involving professional boxing, sparring, professional wrestling, professional kickboxing, or professional full-contact karate, including professional mixed martial arts;
(3) "Boxing", the sport of attack and defense where contestants are allowed to only use the fist to attack or strike in competition;
(4) "Combative fighting", a bout or contest, with or without gloves or protective headgear, whereby any part of the contestant's body may be used as a weapon or any other means of fighting may be used with the specific purpose of intentionally injuring the other contestants in such a manner that they may not defend themselves and in which there is no referee;
(5) "Contest", a bout or a group of bouts involving licensed contestants competing in professional boxing, sparring, professional wrestling, professional kickboxing, or professional full-contact karate;
(6) "Contestant", a person who competes in any boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, or full-contact karate event;
(7) "Director", the director of the division of professional registration;
(8) "Division", the division of professional registration;
(9) "Exhibition", a boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, or full-contact karate engagement in which persons are participating to show or display their boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, or full-contact karate skill and in which no decision is rendered;
(10) "Full-contact karate", any form of full-contact martial arts including, but not limited to, full-contact kungfu, full-contact tae kwon do, or any form of martial arts, mixed martial arts, combat or self-defense conducted on a full-contact basis in a match where contestants are allowed to deliver blows or strikes;
(11) "Fund", the athletic fund established pursuant to sections 317.001 to 317.021;
(12) "Kickboxing", any match in which contestants are allowed to use any form of boxing and are also allowed to use any part of the fist, foot, or leg, with or without shin guards or protective gear, or any combination thereof to deliver strikes above the waist and which does not constitute mixed martial arts as defined by this section;
(13) "Mixed martial arts", any match in which any form of martial arts or self-defense is conducted on a full-contact basis and where other combative techniques or tactics are allowed in competition including, but not limited to, kicking, striking, chokeholds, boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, grappling, or joint manipulation. Professional mixed martial arts is a form of full-contact karate;
(14) "Office", the division of professional registration, office of athletics;
(15) "Professional", a wrestling, boxing, kickboxing, or full-contact karate bout or contest where the participants compete for any valuable consideration or a person who competes in any wrestling, boxing, kickboxing, or full-contact karate bout or contest for any such consideration;
(16) "Sparring", any boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, or full-contact karate conducted for practice and for which admission or other similar consideration, in any form, is charged to any member of the public;
(17) "Wrestling", any performance of wrestling skills and techniques by two or more individuals. Participating wrestlers may perform without being required to use their best efforts in order to win and the winner may have been selected before the performance commences.
317.100. 1. The office of athletics within the division of professional registration of the department of insurance, financial institutions and professional registration shall only approve an organization as an amateur sanctioning organization in this state for amateur mixed martial arts and amateur kickboxing if such organization:
(1) Provides substantially similar protections for the health, safety, and welfare of its contestants as that required for professional boxing, and professional mixed martial arts and professional kickboxing in this state;
(2) Establishes nationally consistent competition rules and regulations to differentiate professional from amateur competitors for the safety of the athletes as required for future approval by the United States Olympic Committee;
(3) Is responsible for maintaining the rules and regulations, mandating the safety requirements, establishing the medical requirements of all promotions and provides the method of training of officials, as well as, establishing all criteria to oversee the amateur unarmed combative sports of mixed martial arts and kickboxing;
(4) Is exclusively or primarily dedicated to advancing the particular sport of mixed martial arts and kickboxing;
(5) Is organized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, as a nonprofit corporation, is in good standing with its state of incorporation, and has operated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation for a minimum of ten years;
(6) Has its corporate statutes and bylaws written to follow the federal Ted Stevens Amateur Olympic Sports Act;
(7) Limits its participation in its events to its registered members;
(8) Has a record of enforcing the rules governing a contest or exhibit; and
(9) Has a record of safety for its athletes.
2. The office of athletics shall not approve an organization as a state amateur sanctioning organization that does not meet the requirements of subsection 1 of this section.
3. The purpose of the state oversight established in this section is to:
(1) Protect the overall safety of the athletes;
(2) Provide consistent and proper medical standards for competitors as required under the anti-doping and antidrug policies (WADA) for international competition;
(3) Provide a consistent and proper medical insurance program for all participants;
(4) Standardize the officiating and medical procedures;
(5) Eliminate the disparity and inconsistency of rules;
(6) Reduce ill-informed and poorly trained participants;
(7) Curtail illegitimate events with a cooperative effort by the office of athletics; and
(8) Create a greater opportunity for international competitiveness in the world arena.
4. The department may promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2014, shall be invalid and void.
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