S.B. No. 1670
AN ACT
1-1 relating to the regulation of certain amateur boxing events.
1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-3 SECTION 1. Sections 1 through 11, Texas Boxing and Wrestling
1-4 Act (Article 8501-1, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), are designated
1-5 as Article 1 and a heading for that article is added to read as
1-6 follows:
1-7 ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
1-8 SECTION 2. Section 3, Texas Boxing and Wrestling Act
1-9 (Article 8501-1, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by
1-10 adding Subdivisions (11), (12), (13), (14), (15), and (16) to read
1-11 as follows:
1-12 (11) "Elimination tournament boxing promoter" means a
1-13 person licensed by the department who arranges, advertises, or
1-14 conducts an elimination tournament.
1-15 (12) "Elimination tournament" means a boxing contest
1-16 in which elimination tournament contestants compete in a series of
1-17 matches until only one contestant remains in each weight category.
1-18 (13) "Elimination tournament contestant" means a
1-19 person who competes in an elimination tournament.
1-20 (14) "Championship tournament" means an international,
1-21 state, regional, or national elimination tournament that allows the
1-22 winners of another elimination tournament to compete for a
1-23 championship in each weight category.
1-24 (15) "Regional tournament" means an elimination
2-1 tournament that allows an elimination tournament contestant from
2-2 outside the immediate area where the tournament is held to compete
2-3 against local tournament contestants.
2-4 (16) "Local tournament" means an elimination
2-5 tournament that allows only a resident of this state to compete.
2-6 SECTION 3. Section 6A, Texas Boxing and Wrestling Act
2-7 (Article 8501-1, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read
2-8 as follows:
2-9 Sec. 6A. Boxing Gloves. Except as provided by Article 2 of
2-10 this Act, in <In> any boxing contest, match, or exhibition
2-11 conducted in this state, the contestants shall wear eight-ounce
2-12 boxing gloves, unless the commissioner by rule requires or permits
2-13 the contestants to wear heavier gloves.
2-14 SECTION 4. Section 7, Texas Boxing and Wrestling Act
2-15 (Article 8501-1, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read
2-16 as follows:
2-17 Sec. 7. Amateur Athletic Events. (a) The promoting,
2-18 conducting, or maintaining of boxing matches, contests, or
2-19 exhibitions when conducted by educational institutions, law
2-20 enforcement organizations, Texas National Guard Units, or amateur
2-21 athletic organizations duly recognized by the commissioner shall be
2-22 exempt from the licensing and bonding provisions of this Act
2-23 provided that none of the participants in such contests or
2-24 exhibitions receive a money remuneration, purse, or prize for their
2-25 performance or services therein.
2-26 (b) None of the licensing and bonding provisions of this Act
2-27 shall apply to or be enforced against:
3-1 (1) all nonprofit amateur athletic associations
3-2 chartered under the laws of the State of Texas, including their
3-3 affiliated membership clubs throughout the state which have been
3-4 recognized by the commissioner;
3-5 (2) any contests, matches, or exhibitions between
3-6 students of educational institutions which are conducted by a
3-7 college, school, or university as part of the institution's
3-8 athletic program;
3-9 (3) contests, matches, or exhibitions between members
3-10 of any troop, battery, company, or units of the Texas National
3-11 Guard or a law enforcement organization.
3-12 (c) When an admission fee is charged by any person
3-13 conducting or sponsoring an amateur boxing contest, match, or
3-14 exhibition, except those amateur events exempted in Section 7(b)
3-15 herein, the gross receipts tax hereinafter provided in Section 11
3-16 of this Act shall apply and must be paid by the sponsoring person.
3-17 In addition, amateur boxing contests, except for elimination
3-18 tournaments subject to Article 2 of this Act, wherein an admission
3-19 fee is charged shall be conducted under the following conditions:
3-20 (1) The commissioner must approve the contest, match,
3-21 or exhibition at least seven days in advance of the event.
3-22 (2) All entries shall be filed with the amateur
3-23 organization at least three days in advance of the event.
3-24 (3) The amateur organization shall determine the
3-25 amateur standing of all contestants.
3-26 (4) The amateur contest, match, or exhibition shall be
3-27 subject to the supervision of the commissioner, and all profits
4-1 derived from such contests shall be used in the development of
4-2 amateur athletics.
4-3 (5) Only referees and judges licensed by the
4-4 commissioner may participate in amateur contests, matches, or
4-5 exhibitions.
4-6 (6) All contestants shall be examined by a licensed
4-7 physician within a reasonable time prior to the event, and a
4-8 licensed physician shall be in attendance at the ringside during
4-9 the entire event.
4-10 (7) All professional boxers licensed under this Act
4-11 are prohibited from participating in any capacity during an amateur
4-12 contest, match, or exhibition.
4-13 SECTION 5. Section 8, Texas Boxing and Wrestling Act
4-14 (Article 8501-1, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by
4-15 amending Subsection (a) and by adding Subsections (g), (h), and (i)
4-16 to read as follows:
4-17 (a) A person may not act as a boxing promoter or an
4-18 elimination tournament boxing promoter until the person has been
4-19 licensed by the department under this Act. A person may not act as
4-20 a wrestling promoter until the person has registered with the
4-21 secretary of state.
4-22 (g) The application for an elimination tournament boxing
4-23 promoter's license shall be made on a form furnished by the
4-24 commissioner and, except as provided in Subsection (h) of this
4-25 section, shall be accompanied by:
4-26 (1) an application fee not to exceed $1,000;
4-27 (2) a surety bond in the amount of $50,000 subject to
5-1 approval by the commissioner and conditioned on the payment of:
5-2 (A) the tax imposed under Section 11 of this
5-3 Act; and
5-4 (B) any claim described by Subsection (e) of
5-5 this section and made against the elimination tournament boxing
5-6 promoter; and
5-7 (3) proof of accidental death or injury insurance
5-8 coverage in the amount of at least $10,000 for each elimination
5-9 tournament contestant.
5-10 (h) The bonding and insurance requirements of Subsection (g)
5-11 of this section apply only to an elimination tournament boxing
5-12 promoter promoting an elimination tournament that:
5-13 (1) charges an admission fee; or
5-14 (2) awards a prize of money, trophy, prize, or any
5-15 other item with a value of more than $50 to a contestant winning an
5-16 elimination tournament.
5-17 (i) The annual fee for an elimination tournament boxing
5-18 promoter license shall not exceed $1,000.
5-19 SECTION 6. Section 11, Texas Boxing and Wrestling Act
5-20 (Article 8501-1, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by
5-21 amending Subsection (a) and by adding Subsection (d) to read as
5-22 follows:
5-23 (a) Any person who conducts a boxing match, contest, or
5-24 exhibition, including an elimination tournament, wherein an
5-25 admission fee is charged shall furnish to the department within 72
5-26 hours after the termination of the event a duly verified report on
5-27 a form furnished by the department showing the number of tickets
6-1 sold, prices charged, and amount of gross receipts obtained from
6-2 the event. A cashier's check or money order made payable to the
6-3 State of Texas in the amount of three percent of the total gross
6-4 receipts of the event shall be attached to the verified report.
6-5 (d) The department may audit a report filed under Subsection
6-6 (a) of this section made by a person conducting an elimination
6-7 tournament under this section.
6-8 SECTION 7. The Texas Boxing and Wrestling Act (Article
6-9 8501-1, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) is amended by adding Article
6-10 2 to read as follows:
6-11 ARTICLE 2. ELIMINATION TOURNAMENTS
6-12 Sec. 15. GENERAL PROVISIONS. (a) An elimination tournament
6-13 may only be held as a one-night or two-night event.
6-14 (b) Except as provided by Subsection (c) of this section, an
6-15 elimination tournament contestant may not participate in more than
6-16 one match during the first night of a two-night elimination
6-17 tournament.
6-18 (c) An elimination tournament contestant in a championship
6-19 tournament may not participate in more than two matches during the
6-20 first night of a two-night championship tournament.
6-21 (d) Subject to the medical restrictions of Section 17 of
6-22 this Act, an elimination tournament contestant may fight any number
6-23 of matches on the second night of a two-night elimination
6-24 tournament.
6-25 (e) Except as provided by Subsection (f) of this section,
6-26 the elimination tournament boxing promoter may allow an elimination
6-27 tournament contestant who failed to win a match during the first
7-1 night of a two-night elimination tournament to compete during the
7-2 second night.
7-3 (f) An elimination tournament contestant who is knocked out
7-4 during an elimination tournament may not continue to compete in an
7-5 elimination tournament.
7-6 (g) The standing-eight-count and the three-knock-down rules
7-7 apply to an elimination tournament.
7-8 (h) A match in an elimination tournament consists of three
7-9 rounds with each round lasting 60 seconds. There must be a minimum
7-10 interval of 60 seconds between each round of a match.
7-11 (i) Each elimination tournament contestant must be matched
7-12 randomly with an opponent from the same weight category during the
7-13 preliminary round of an elimination tournament.
7-14 Sec. 16. ELIMINATION TOURNAMENT BOXING PROMOTER'S
7-15 RESPONSIBILITIES. (a) In addition to any other responsibilities,
7-16 an elimination tournament boxing promoter shall require that each
7-17 elimination tournament contestant:
7-18 (1) use 16-ounce gloves;
7-19 (2) wear the following protective gear supplied by the
7-20 elimination tournament boxing promoter:
7-21 (A) headgear approved by the department, except
7-22 as provided by Subsection (b) of this section;
7-23 (B) a mouthpiece; and
7-24 (C) a groin guard or kidney-groin guard approved
7-25 by the department;
7-26 (3) have no professional boxing experience;
7-27 (4) have, in the last five years, five or fewer boxing
8-1 match wins recognized by an amateur boxing organization recognized
8-2 under department rules for this specific purpose;
8-3 (5) submit proof of proper training, including a
8-4 written description of the elimination tournament contestant's
8-5 training program for the 28 days before the date of the beginning
8-6 of the first bout of the elimination tournament; and
8-7 (6) be a person who is 18 years of age or older but
8-8 younger than 36 years of age.
8-9 (b) A local, regional, or championship elimination
8-10 tournament is not subject to Subsection (a)(2)(A) of this section
8-11 if an elimination tournament boxing promoter notifies, under the
8-12 rules of the department, the commissioner of the decision not to
8-13 use approved headgear.
8-14 (c) An elimination tournament boxing promoter shall provide
8-15 a ringside physician for an elimination tournament.
8-16 Sec. 17. ELIMINATION TOURNAMENT RINGSIDE PHYSICIAN'S
8-17 RESPONSIBILITIES. The ringside physician at an elimination
8-18 tournament shall:
8-19 (1) perform, at the location of the tournament, a
8-20 complete medical examination of each elimination tournament
8-21 contestant before the tournament begins;
8-22 (2) offer solutions to the elimination tournament
8-23 boxing promoter and each elimination tournament contestant
8-24 regarding boxing-related medical problems;
8-25 (3) remain at ringside at all times during a scheduled
8-26 match of an elimination tournament;
8-27 (4) examine each elimination tournament contestant
9-1 between each bout;
9-2 (5) perform a complete physical examination of each
9-3 elimination tournament contestant remaining in an elimination
9-4 tournament immediately before the second night of a two-night
9-5 elimination tournament; and
9-6 (6) notify the elimination tournament boxing promoter
9-7 immediately after disqualifying an elimination tournament
9-8 contestant.
9-9 Sec. 18. PROOF OF NEGATIVE PREGNANCY TEST REQUIRED. A
9-10 female elimination tournament contestant may not participate in an
9-11 elimination tournament unless she provides the ringside physician
9-12 with proof of a negative result pregnancy test.
9-13 Sec. 19. WEIGHT CATEGORIES. (a) An elimination tournament
9-14 contestant may not compete in a weight category other than a
9-15 category provided in this section.
9-16 (b) The weight categories for an elimination tournament are:
9-17 (1) less than 112 pounds;
9-18 (2) 112 pounds or more but less than 119 pounds;
9-19 (3) 119 pounds or more but less than 127 pounds;
9-20 (4) 127 pounds or more but less than 136 pounds;
9-21 (5) 136 pounds or more but less than 148 pounds;
9-22 (6) 148 pounds or more but less than 161 pounds;
9-23 (7) 161 pounds or more but less than 176 pounds;
9-24 (8) 176 pounds or more but less than 190 pounds; and
9-25 (9) 190 pounds or more.
9-26 (c) An elimination tournament contestant whose weight is
9-27 within three percent of the minimum weight of the next heavier
10-1 weight category may compete in that heavier weight category.
10-2 Sec. 20. RING REQUIREMENTS. (a) Competition in an
10-3 elimination tournament shall take place in a square ring with sides
10-4 not less than 16 feet in length and not more than 24 feet in
10-5 length.
10-6 (b) The floor of the ring must be 3/4-inch thick and must be
10-7 padded with one-inch thick closed-cell foam material.
10-8 SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
10-9 SECTION 9. The importance of this legislation and the
10-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
10-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
10-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
10-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.