Athletes: mixed martial arts fighters.

Existing law, the State Athletic Commission Act, creates the State Athletic Commission and makes it responsible for licensing and regulating boxing, kickboxing, and martial arts matches and wrestling exhibitions. Existing law prohibits a promoter from having a proprietary interest in a boxer or mixed martial arts fighter without the approval of the commission. This bill would declare the intent of the Legislature to protect mixed martial arts fighters from exploitive, oppressive, or coercive contracts and to support the establishment of standards to protect these fighters. This bill would require a licensed promoter to provide a copy of any written agreement with a professional athlete as well as a written and sworn statement, made under penalty of perjury, that there are no other agreements between the promoter and athlete with respect to that contest, and a list of any fees charged or reductions in the amount paid to the athlete, to the commission before the promoter can receive compensation from a boxing or mixed martial arts contest. By requiring a statement to be made under penalty of perjury, the bill would expand that crime and would thereby impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the commission to establish and enforce, upon receiving a complaint, a professional code of conduct for licensees, and would require the commission to suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew the license of a mixed martial arts promoter who enters into a coercive contract, as defined, with a mixed martial arts fighter. The bill would also require the commission to suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew the license of a mixed martial arts promoter or fighter who has been convicted of a felony or other specified crimes, or who has engaged in certain other actions. This bill would also exempt documents provided to the commission by promoters from disclosure to the public based on a finding by the Legislature that these documents contain proprietary business information. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.