STAND. COM. REP. NO.  318-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

RE:   H.B. No. 2639

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 2639 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to protect the health and safety of amateur contestants in mixed martial arts (MMA) contests.  Specifically, this bill:

     (1)  Regulates amateur MMA by placing it under the regulation for MMA enforced by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA);

     (2)  Allows DCCA to delegate the supervision of amateur MMA to a recognized amateur MMA association; and

     (3) Requires all amateur MMA contestants to pass a physical examination conducted by a license physician prior to engaging in a MMA contest.

     DCCA testified in support of this bill.  The Hawaii Association of Mixed Martial Arts opposed this measure.

     Your Committee notes that while regulation is expanded under this measure to include amateur MMA contests and contestants, there are no corresponding fee increases in this bill to fund this increased oversight and respectfully requests the Committee on Finance to take this matter under consideration.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Clarifying that amateur MMA contests shall not offer monetary compensation and stipulating that contestants in these contests are at least 18 years of age and accordingly, redefining the terms "amateur mixed martial arts contestant" and "amateur mixed martial arts contest";

     (2)  Providing a definition for "professional mixed martial arts contestant";

     (3)  Stipulating that amateur MMA contests are also considered MMA contests by definition;

     (4)  Removing the current statutory requirement that a promoter of an MMA contest be solely responsible for the expense of providing a medical report of each contestant to the Director of DCCA prior to the contest;

     (5)  Removing the current statutory requirement that an MMA contest be under the control of a licensed referee with at least one year of experience in refereeing an MMA match;

     (6)  Repealing or lowering event fees that are charged to a MMA promoter;

     (7)  Requiring individuals to be at least18 years of age to apply for a license as a professional MMA contestant;

     (8)  Repealing additional surcharge fees charged for the license renewal of MMA promoters; and

     (9)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2639, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2639, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair