CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 5-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2008

RE:    S.B. No. 3030

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 3030, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to properly and effectively implement the regulation, licensing, and oversight of mixed martial arts contests by amending the fee structure to fund the mixed martial arts licensing program.

     Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Increases the license fee imposed on gate receipts of professional mixed martial arts contests beginning in fiscal year 2009-2010;

     (2)  Clarifies that the two percent fee on gross receipts from telecasts of an event includes pay-per-view telecasts and is not restricted to telecasts in Hawaii; and

     (3)  Requires each mixed martial arts promoter to pay an additional surcharge fee for fiscal years 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 to cover the cost of implementing the mixed martial arts contests licensing program under chapter 440E, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that chapter 440E, Hawaii Revised Statutes, outlines the licensing regulatory scheme for mixed martial arts contests, promoters, and contest participants, and sets forth numerous other provisions relating to regulating mixed martial arts, but fails to provide the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs with adequate funds to support effective start-up and implementation of this complex licensing program.  Amending the current fee structure to fund mixed martial arts regulation will enable the Department to support and implement the mixed martial arts licensing program.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2009, to coincide with the date that chapter 440E, Hawaii Revised Statutes, will become effective pursuant to Act 279, section 5, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3030, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3030, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Co-Chair	____________________________ RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair
____________________________ ROBERT N. HERKES, Co-Chair	____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Co-Chair
____________________________ JAMES KUNANE TOKIOKA, Co-Chair