SB2251enr 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB2251 Enrolled LRB093 15880 RCE 41497 b

AN ACT concerning professional regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Professional Boxing Act is amended by changing Sections 6 and 12 as follows:

(225 ILCS 105/6) (from Ch. 111, par. 5006)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2012)

Sec. 6. Prohibitions. All boxing matches, contests, or exhibits in which physical contact is made including, but not limited to, "ultimate fighting exhibitions", are prohibited in Illinois unless authorized by the Department. This provision does not apply to the following:

(1) Boxing contests or wrestling exhibitions conducted by accredited secondary schools, colleges or universities, although a fee may be charged. Institutions organized to furnish instruction in athletics are not included in this exemption.

(2) Amateur boxing matches sanctioned by the United States Amateur Boxing Federation, Inc. or Golden Gloves of America, amateur wrestling exhibitions, and amateur or professional martial arts or kick boxing.

The Department shall have the authority to determine whether a contest or exhibition is an exempt martial arts or kick boxing event for purposes of this Section. In determining whether a contest or exhibition is an exempt martial arts or kick boxing event the Department shall consider, but not be limited to, the following factors:

(i) whether the event is sanctioned by a body independent of the promoters of the contest or exhibition;

(ii) whether the sanctioning body is exclusively or primarily dedicated to advancing the sport of kick boxing or martial arts;

(iii) whether the sanctioning body limits participation in its events to its registered members;

(iv) whether the sanctioning body has a record of enforcing the rules governing a contest or exhibition;

(v) the record for safety of the sanctioning body;

(vi) the record for safety of the promoters of the contest or exhibition;

(vii) whether the promoter of the contest or exhibition has a record of enforcing and abiding by the rules governing a contest or exhibition; and

(viii) whether the rules for the contest or exhibition provide substantially similar protections for the health, safety and welfare of the contestants and spectators as this Act and its rules.

(Source: P.A. 91-408, eff. 1-1-00.)

(225 ILCS 105/12) (from Ch. 111, par. 5012)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2012)

Sec. 12. Contests Boxing contests. Each boxing contestant shall be examined before entering the ring and immediately after each contest by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches. The physician shall determine, prior to the contest, if each contestant is physically fit to engage in the contest. After the contest the physician shall examine the contestant to determine possible injury. If the contestant's physical condition so indicates, the physician shall recommend to the Department immediate medical suspension. The physician may, at any time during the contest, stop the contest to examine a boxer, and terminate the contest when, in the physician's opinion, continuing the contest could result in serious injury to the boxer. The physician shall certify to the condition of the contestant in writing, over his signature on blank forms provided by the Department. Such reports shall be submitted to the Department in a timely manner. The physician shall be paid by the promoter a fee fixed by the Department. No boxing contest shall be held unless a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches is in attendance.

No contest shall be allowed to begin unless at least one physician and 2 trained paramedics or 2 nurses who are trained to administer emergency medical care are present.

No contest shall be more than 12 rounds in length. The rounds shall not be more than 3 minutes each with a one minute interval between them, and no boxer shall be allowed to participate in more than 12 rounds within 72 consecutive hours. At each boxing contest there shall be a referee in attendance who shall direct and control the contest. The referee, before each contest, shall learn the name of the contestant's chief second and shall hold the chief second responsible for the conduct of his assistant during the progress of the contest.

There shall be 2 judges in attendance who shall render a decision at the end of each contest. The decision of the judges, taken together with the decision of the referee, is final; or, 3 judges shall score the contest with the referee not scoring. The method of scoring shall be set forth in rules.

Judges, referees, or timekeepers for contests shall be assigned by the Department. The Department or its representative shall have discretion to declare a price, remuneration, or purse or any part of it belonging to the contestant withheld if in the judgment of the Department or its representative the contestant is not honestly competing. The Department shall have the authority to prevent a contest or exhibition from being held and shall have the authority to stop a fight for noncompliance with any part of this Act or rules or when, in the judgment of the Department, or its representative, continuation of the event would endanger the health, safety, and welfare of the contestants or spectators. The Department's authority to stop a fight contest or exhibition on the basis that the fight would endanger the health, safety, and welfare of the contestants or spectators shall extend to any fight contest or exhibition, regardless of whether that fight contest or exhibition is exempted from the prohibition in Section 6 of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 91-408, eff. 1-1-00; 92-499, eff. 1-1-02.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.