STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2355

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2399

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 2399 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MIXED MARTIAL ARTS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to protect athletes by regulating amateur mixed martial arts competitions.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Professional and Vocational Licensing Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.  Testimony in opposition was received from the Hawaii Association of Mixed Martial Arts.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee finds that protection of athletes is of paramount importance in this measure.  Your Committee finds that unscrupulous promoters are currently able to exploit an exception in the law requiring licensure and regulation of professional mixed martial arts competitions by claiming to conduct amateur events.  Your Committee further finds that this allows a promoter to avoid the promoter's responsibility to provide emergency medical care, insurance, and other protections to contestants.  Your Committee notes that under this measure, true amateur events will not be subject to the licensing requirements for physicians, referees, judges, managers, seconds, or contestants that are imposed on professional events.  Rather, amateur events will merely be required to obtain permits and to ensure that adequate safety measures are in place to protect athletes and the public.  Finally, your Committee notes that regulation of mixed martial arts contests was originally enacted in response to a pattern of severe injuries in unregulated contests.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making nonsubstantive technical changes for the purpose of clarity and accuracy.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2399, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2399, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

 

 

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair