State Athletic Commission.

Under existing law, the State Athletic Commission Act, the State Athletic Commission has jurisdiction over all professional and amateur boxing, professional and amateur kickboxing, all forms and combinations of forms of full contact martial arts contests, including mixed martial arts, and matches or exhibitions conducted, held, or given within this state. Existing law prohibits an event from taking place without the prior approval of the commission. Existing law prohibits a person from engaging in the promotion of, or from participating in, a boxing or martial arts contest, match, or exhibition without a license, except as specified. Existing law requires protection of the public to be the highest priority for the commission. A violation of the act is a crime. Under existing law, "martial arts" means any combination of full contact martial arts including mixed martial arts and defines "full contact" as the use of full unrestrained physical force in a martial arts contest. Under existing law, a "contest" is where full or partial contact is used or intended that may result or is intended to result in physical harm to the opponent. Under existing law, opponents are not required to use their best efforts in any exhibition or sparring match. This bill would delete that provision relating to best efforts and would specify that a contest refers to a professional or amateur contest where full contact is used or intended that may result in physical harm to the opponent. The bill would provide that an amateur contest includes a contest where full contact is used, even if unintentionally. The bill would define the term "full contact" to mean the use of physical force in a martial arts contest that may result or is intended to result in physical harm to the opponent. Because the bill would change the definition of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Under existing law, the commission may authorize a nonprofit boxing, wrestling, or martial arts club or organization, upon approval of its bylaws, to administer the commission's rules for amateur boxing, wrestling, and full contact martial arts contests and thus waive direct application of the commission's laws if the commission makes a specified finding. This bill would specify that the commission may authorize one or more nonprofit boxing, wrestling, or martial arts clubs or organizations to administer its rules for amateur boxing, wrestling, and full contact martial arts contests subject to those same limitations. Existing law authorizes the commission to license professional and amateur martial arts fighters. Existing law prohibits a person under 18 years of age from participating as a contestant in any contest or match or exhibition, except that any person 16 years of age or over may be licensed as an amateur and may participate in an amateur contest or match. This bill would prohibit a person under 18 years of age from participating as a contestant in any professional contest or match or exhibition. The bill would authorize any person, irrespective of age, to participate as a contestant in an amateur contest, match, or exhibition with the approval of the commission subject to that licensure authorization. The bill would specify that the commission has jurisdiction over all forms and combinations of forms of full contact martial arts contests involving participants 18 years of age or younger. Existing law authorizes the commission to appoint an advisory committee to advise the commission on martial arts. Existing law requires the advisory committee to be composed of members with prior specified experience with kickboxing or full-contact martial arts events. This bill would require the commission to establish an advisory pankration subcommittee, consisting of 3 commission members, to investigate the rules and conduct of contests involving or claiming to involve pankration by persons under 18 years of age, or any style deemed by the subcommittee to be sufficiently similar thereto. The bill would require the subcommittee to meet and examine specified matters, including, but not limited to, participant safety in pankration contests and whether legislation should be enacted to impose age-based restrictions on those contest participants. By July 1, 2014, the bill would require the subcommittee to make recommendations to the commission regarding any legislative changes to be enacted that may be necessary to improve its regulation and oversight of pankration contests. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 18646 of the Business and Professions Code made by this bill and SB 309 to take effect if both bills are chaptered and this bill is chaptered last. 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. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.