GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

S	1 

SENATE BILL 992

Short Title:  NC Boxing Commission.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Senators Conder and Forrester.

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Referred to:  Commerce.

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April 21, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT AMENDING THE LAWS RELATED TO THE NORTH CAROLINA BOXING COMMISSION.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 143-651 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143-651.  Definitions.
The following definitions apply in this Article:
(1)	Amateur. – A person who is not and has never received or competed for any purse or other article or thing of value for participating in a match.
(2)	Announcer. – Any person who engages in the act of announcing a boxing match.
(3)	Boxer. – Any person who engages as a participant in a boxing match.
(4)	Boxing match. – A match where the participants engage in the use of full contact boxing techniques (using the fist only), and where the object of a match is to win by decision, knockout (KO), or technical knockout (TKO).
(5)	Commission. – The North Carolina State Boxing Commission.
(6)	Contest. – A boxing match in which the participants strive to win.
(7)	Contestant. – Any person who engages as a participant in a boxing match.
(8)	Exhibition. – A boxing match where the participants display their boxing skills and technique without necessarily striving to win.
(9)	Judge. – A person who has a vote in determining the winner of any match or contest.
(10)	Kickboxer. – Any person who engages as a participant in a kickboxing match.
(11)	Kickboxing match. – A match in which the participants engage in full contact martial arts fighting techniques using the hands and the feet, and where the object of the match is to win by decision, knockout (KO), or technical knockout (TKO).
(12)	Licensee. – Any person, club, corporation, organization, or association to whom a license has been issued pursuant to the provisions of this Article.
(13)	Manager. – Any person who controls or administers the boxing affairs of any contestant, and who:
a.	By contract, agreement, or other arrangement with any person undertakes or has undertaken to represent in any way the interest of the contestant in any professional boxing contest in which the boxer is to participate as a contestant, and is entitled under that contract, agreement, or arrangement to receive monetary or other compensation for his services, without regard to the sources of the compensation.  The term 'manager' shall not be construed to mean any attorney licensed to practice in this State whose participation in the activities is restricted solely to representing the interests of a professional boxer as a client.
b.	Directs or controls the professional boxing activities of any professional boxer.
c.	Receives or is entitled to receive a percentage of the gross purse or gross income of any professional boxing contest.
(14)	Match. – Any boxing or kickboxing contest or exhibition, and includes any event, engagement, sparring or practice session, show or program where the public is admitted and in which there is intended to be physical contact, whether an exhibition or contest. This definition does not include training or practice sessions when no admission is charged.
(15)	Matchmaker. – A person through whom matches are arranged for participants and who otherwise assists participants in procuring engagement dates for boxing.
(16)	Natural person. – An individual.
(17)	Participant. – Any person who engages in a match or exhibition and performs as a boxer.
(18)	Person. – An individual, group of individuals, business, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or any other individual or collective entity.
(19)	Physician. – An individual licensed to practice medicine in this State.
(20)	Professional. – Any person who is licensed as a professional boxer under the Federal Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996.
(21)	Promoter. – Any person who produces, arranges, stages, holds, or gives any match in North Carolina involving a professional participant.
(22)	Referee. – The official who shall enter and remain in the ring for the duration of a match and shall enforce the rules and maintain order in the ring.
(23)	Ring official. – Any person who performs an official function for the duration of a match.
(23a)	Sanctioned amateur. – A person who competes in a sanctioned amateur match.
(23b)	Sanctioned amateur match. –  Any boxing or kickboxing match regulated by an amateur sports organization that has been recognized and approved by the North Carolina Boxing Commission.
(24)	Second. – Any person who will work or be present in the corner of a participant for the duration of a match.
(25)	Timekeeper. – Any person who will operate the clock or watch for the duration of a match for the purpose of keeping the official time of the match.
(25a)	Toughman contestant. – Any person who competes in a toughman event.
(25b)	Toughman event. – An elimination program of matches in which (i) the contestants are not professional boxers, (ii) the finalist receives a purse or other article of value, (iii) the participants engage in the use of full contact boxing techniques, and (iv) the object of each match is to win by decision, knockout (KO), or technical knockout (TKO).
(26)	Ultimate warrior match. – A match where the participants use any combination of boxing, kicking, wrestling, hitting, punching, or other combative, contact techniques and which combination of techniques is not specifically authorized by and conducted pursuant to this Article."
Section 2. G.S. 143-652 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143-652.  State Boxing Commission.
(a)	Creation. – The North Carolina State Boxing Commission is created within the Department of the Secretary of State to regulate in North Carolina live boxing and kickboxing matches, whether professional, amateur, sanctioned amateur, or toughman events, in which admission is charged for viewing, or the contestants compete for a purse or prize of value greater than twenty-five dollars ($25.00).  The Commission shall consist of five voting members and two advisory members. All the members shall be residents of North Carolina and shall meet requirements for membership under the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996. The members shall be appointed as follows:
(1)	One voting member shall be appointed by the Governor for an initial term of two years.
(2)	One voting member shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate for an initial term of one year, in accordance with G.S. 120-121.
(3)	One voting member shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives for an initial term of one year.
(4)	Two voting members shall be appointed by the Secretary of State. One shall serve for an initial term of three years, and the other shall serve for an initial term of two years.
(5)	One nonvoting advisory member shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives for an initial term of one year, in accordance with G.S. 120-121, from nominations made by the North Carolina Medical Society, which shall nominate two licensed physicians for the position.
(6)	One nonvoting advisory member shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate for an initial term of one year, in accordance with G.S. 120-121, from nominations made by the North Carolina Medical Society, which shall nominate two licensed physicians for the position.
The two nonvoting advisory members shall advise the Commission on matters concerning the health and physical condition of boxers and health issues relating to the conduct of exhibitions and boxing matches. They may prepare and submit to the Commission for its consideration and approval any rules that in their judgment will safeguard the physical welfare of all participants engaged in boxing.
Terms for all members of the Commission except for the initial appointments shall be for three years.
The Secretary of State shall designate which member of the Commission is to serve as chair. A member of the Commission may be removed from office by the Secretary of State for cause. Each member before entering upon the duties of a member shall take and subscribe an oath to perform the duties of the office faithfully, impartially, and justly to the best of the member's ability. A record of these oaths shall be filed in the Department of the Secretary of State.
(b)	Vacancies. – Members shall serve until their successors are appointed and have been qualified. Any vacancy in the membership of the Commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. Vacancies for members appointed by the General Assembly shall be filled in accordance with G.S. 120-122. A vacancy in the membership of the Commission other than by expiration of term shall be filled for the unexpired term only.
(c)	Meetings. – Meetings of the Commission shall be called by the Executive Director, chair, or by any two members of the Commission, and meetings shall be held at least quarterly. Any three voting members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum at any meeting. Action may be taken and motions and resolutions adopted by the Commission at any meeting by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Commission present at a meeting at which a quorum exists. Any or all members may participate in a regular or special meeting by, or conduct the meeting through the use of, any means of communication by which all members participating may simultaneously hear each other during the meeting. A member participating in the meeting by this means is deemed to be present in person at the meeting.
(d)	Rule-Making Authority of the Commission. – The Commission shall have the exclusive authority to approve and issue rules submitted by the Executive Director for the regulation of the conduct, promotion, and performances of live boxing, kickboxing, sanctioned amateur, amateur, and toughman matches and exhibitions in this State. The rules shall be issued pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 150B of the General Statutes and may include, without limitation, the following subjects:
(1)	Requirements for issuance of licenses and permits required by this Article.
(2)	Regulation of ticket sales.
(3)	Physical requirements for contestants, including classification by weight and skill.
(4)	Supervision of matches and exhibitions by licensed physicians and referees.
(5)	Insurance and bonding requirements.
(6)	Compensation of participants and licensees.
(7)	Contracts and financial arrangements.
(8)	Prohibition of dishonest, unethical, and injurious practices.
(9)	Facilities.
(10)	Approval of sanctioning amateur sports organizations.
(11)	Procedures and requirements for compliance with the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996.
(e)	Compensation. – None of the members of the Commission shall receive compensation for serving on the Commission. However, members of the Commission may be reimbursed for their expenses in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 138 of the General Statutes.
(f)	Staff Assistance. – The Secretary of State shall hire a person to serve as Executive Director of the Commission and shall provide staff assistance to the Executive Director.  The Executive Director may train and contract with independent contractors for the purpose of regulating and monitoring events, issuing licenses, collecting fees, and enforcing rules of the Commission.  The Executive Director may initiate criminal background checks on persons requesting to work as independent contractors for the Commission or persons applying to be licensed by the Commission."
Section 3. G.S. 143-653 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143-653.  Ultimate warrior matches prohibited.
Ultimate warrior matches, whether the participants are professionals or amateurs, are prohibited. No person shall promote, conduct, or engage in ultimate warrior matches. This section shall not preclude professional wrestling."
Section 4. G.S. 143-654 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143-654.  Licensing and permitting.
(a)	License and Permit Required. – It is unlawful for any person to act in this State as an announcer, contestant, judge, manager, matchmaker, promoter, referee, timekeeper, or second unless the person is licensed to do so under this Article. It is unlawful for a promoter to present a match in this State unless the promoter has a permit issued under this Article to do so. The Commission has the exclusive authority to issue, deny, suspend, or revoke any license or permit provided for in this Article.
(b)	License. –All licenses issued under this Article shall be valid only during the calendar year in which they are issued, except contestant licenses shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance. A license for an announcer, contestant, judge, matchmaker, referee, timekeeper, or second shall be issued only to a natural person. A natural person shall not transfer or assign a license or change it into another name. A license for a manager or promoter may be issued to a corporation or partnership; provided, however, that all officers or partners shall submit an application for individual licensure, and only those officers or partners who are licensed shall be entitled to negotiate or sign contracts. The addition of a new officer or partner during the license period shall necessitate the filing of an application for individual licensure by the new officer or partner.
An applicant for a license shall file with the Commission the appropriate nonrefundable fee and any forms, documents, medical examinations, or exhibits the Commission may require in order to properly administer this Article. The information requested shall include the date of birth and social security number of each applicant as well as any other personal data necessary to positively identify the applicant and may include the requirement of verification of any documents the Commission deems appropriate. A person may not participate under a fictitious or assumed name in any match unless the person has first registered the name with the Commission.
(c)	Surety Bond. – An applicant for a promoter's license must submit, in addition to any other forms, documents, or exhibits requested by the Commission, a surety bond payable to the Commission for the benefit of any person injured or damaged by (i) the promoter's failure to comply with any provision of this Article or any rules adopted by the Commission or (ii) the promoter's failure to fulfill the obligations of any contract between or among licensees related to the holding of a boxing event.  The surety bond shall be issued in an amount to be no less than five thousand dollars ($5,000). The amount of the surety bond shall be negotiable upon the sole discretion of the Commission. All surety bonds shall be upon forms approved by the Secretary of State and supplied by the Commission.
(d)	Permit. – A permit issued to a promoter under this Article is valid for a single match. An applicant for a permit shall file with the Commission the appropriate nonrefundable fee and any forms or documents the Commission may require."
Section 5. G.S. 143-655 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143-655.  Fees; State Boxing Commission Revenue Account.
(a)	License Fees. – The Commission shall collect the following license fees: 
Announcer	$50.00
Contestant	$25.00
Judge	$50.00
Manager	$100.00
Matchmaker	$200.00
Promoter	$300.00
Referee	$50.00
Timekeeper	$50.00
Second	$25.00.
The annual license renewal fees shall be the same as the initial license fees.
(b)	Permit Fees. – The Commission shall collect the following permit fees:
Seating Capacity	Fee Amount
Less than 2,000	$100.00
2,000 – 5,000	$200.00
Over 5,000	$300.00.
(c)	State Boxing Commission Revenue Account. – There is created the State Boxing Commission Revenue Account within the Department of the Secretary of State. Monies collected pursuant to the provisions of this Article shall be credited to the Account and applied to the administration of the Article."