| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
| |
|
|
relating to the elimination of the licensing and registration |
|
|
requirements for ringside physicians and timekeepers for combative |
|
|
sports events. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subdivision (20), Section 2052.002, Occupations |
|
|
Code, is amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(20) "Ringside physician" means an individual who has |
|
|
an unrestricted and unlimited license [licensed] to practice |
|
|
medicine in this state and who, by agreement, is assigned as the |
|
|
physician for a combative sports event [registered with the
|
|
|
department]. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Subsection (b), Section 2052.052, Occupations |
|
|
Code, is amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(b) The commission may adopt rules: |
|
|
(1) governing boxing, kickboxing, martial arts, or |
|
|
mixed martial arts contests and exhibitions; |
|
|
(2) establishing reasonable qualifications for an |
|
|
applicant seeking a license or registration from the department |
|
|
under this chapter; |
|
|
(3) recognizing a sanction, medical suspension, or |
|
|
disqualification of a licensee or registrant by a combative sports |
|
|
authority in any state, provided that if licensure or registration |
|
|
is denied based on those actions, an applicant has an opportunity |
|
|
for a hearing as prescribed by rule; |
|
|
(4) establishing selection criteria and procedures |
|
|
for the assignment of individuals who agree to act as ringside |
|
|
physicians and timekeepers for combative sports events [practice
|
|
|
requirements or specialty certifications that a person licensed to
|
|
|
practice medicine in this state must meet to register as a ringside
|
|
|
physician]; |
|
|
(5) requiring a contestant to present with an |
|
|
application for licensure or license renewal documentation of |
|
|
recent blood test results that demonstrate whether the contestant |
|
|
is free from hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, human |
|
|
immunodeficiency virus, and any other communicable disease |
|
|
designated by commission rule and providing that a contestant's |
|
|
failure to provide the required blood test results disqualifies the |
|
|
contestant; |
|
|
(6) providing that to participate in any event a |
|
|
contestant must be free of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, |
|
|
human immunodeficiency virus, and any other communicable disease |
|
|
designated by rule; |
|
|
(7) requiring that a contestant present with an |
|
|
application for licensure or license renewal documentation of the |
|
|
results of a physical examination, including an ophthalmologic |
|
|
examination, and providing for disqualification of a contestant who |
|
|
is determined by an examining physician to be unfit; |
|
|
(8) establishing additional responsibilities for |
|
|
promoters; and |
|
|
(9) governing regulated amateur events. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 2052.107, Occupations Code, is amended |
|
|
to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 2052.107. OTHER COMBATIVE SPORTS LICENSES. Unless a |
|
|
person holds a license or registration issued under this chapter, |
|
|
the person may not act as a combative sports: |
|
|
(1) professional contestant; |
|
|
(2) manager of a professional contestant; |
|
|
(3) referee; |
|
|
(4) judge; |
|
|
(5) second; |
|
|
(6) [timekeeper;
|
|
|
[(7)] matchmaker; |
|
|
[(8) ringside physician;] or |
|
|
(7) [(9)] event coordinator. |
|
|
SECTION 4. (a) A disciplinary or administrative |
|
|
proceeding pending under Chapter 51 or 2052, Occupations Code, that |
|
|
is related to a violation of licensing or registration requirements |
|
|
for a timekeeper or ringside physician under Chapter 2052, |
|
|
Occupations Code, as that chapter existed immediately before the |
|
|
effective date of this Act, is dismissed. |
|
|
(b) An administrative penalty assessed by the Texas |
|
|
Commission of Licensing and Regulation or the executive director of |
|
|
the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation under Chapter |
|
|
2052, Occupations Code, related to a violation of Chapter 2052, |
|
|
Occupations Code, as that chapter existed immediately before the |
|
|
effective date of this Act, may be collected as provided by Chapter |
|
|
51, Occupations Code. |
|
|
(c) The change in law made by this Act does not affect the |
|
|
pending prosecution of an offense under Chapter 2052, Occupations |
|
|
Code, as that chapter existed immediately before the effective date |
|
|
of this Act. An offense committed before the effective date of this |
|
|
Act is governed by the law in effect at the time the offense was |
|
|
committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
|
|
purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed |
|
|
before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense |
|
|
occurred before that date. |
|
|
(d) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this |
|
|
Act, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation shall return |
|
|
a prorated portion of the fee paid to the department for the |
|
|
issuance or renewal of the registration or license to a person who |
|
|
holds a valid registration as a ringside physician or timekeeper |
|
|
issued under Chapter 2052, Occupations Code, as that chapter |
|
|
existed immediately before the effective date of this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
|
|
|
|
|
* * * * * |