STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1259

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 148

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Economic Development & Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 148, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMBAT SPORTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Rename the Boxing Commission of Hawaii to the Combat Sports Commission of Hawaii and expand the Commission's jurisdiction to include combat sports contests; and

(2) Repeal the chapter regulating mixed martial arts contests.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and four individuals.

Your Committee finds that there is a need for the State to regulate a broader range of combat sports events to ensure the safety and well-being of participants. This measure addresses this need by renaming and expanding the jurisdiction of the Boxing Commission to include combat sports contests. While many of the provisions from chapter 440E, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to mixed martial arts contests, are included in this measure to apply to combat sports contests, certain provisions involving amateur sports contests and safety measures have been omitted. Your Committee finds that these provisions should be incorporated into this measure with required compliance by combat sports events but discretionary compliance by small combat sports events, which may not be as well equipped to accommodate more stringent requirements. Your Committee's intent is to ensure the safe conduct of combat sports events without curtailing or impeding the operation of smaller events.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Including amateur combat sports contests among the kinds of combat sports regulated by the Commission;

(2) Adding a definition for "small combat sports contests" and providing certain exemptions for these contests;

(3) Changing the requirement that each combat sports contestant be examined by at least one licensed health care provider from one to three hours before the combat sports contest;

(4) Requiring all contestants to furnish a medical report and previous fight records to the Commission;

(5) Allowing amateur combat sports contests to be placed under the supervision of any recognized national amateur combat sports association;

(6) Requiring promoters, except promoters of small combat sports events, to provide written confirmation that an ambulance with paramedics and appropriate security has been obtained and will be present at the venue;

(7) Requiring every promoter to have at least two licensed physicians or, for small combat sports events two licensed health care providers who need not be physicians, in attendance at every combat sports contest and requiring a pre-contest medical examination report to be filed with the Commission within forty-eight hours after the contest;

(8) Clarifying that this measure is intended to take effect on April 1, 2026;

(9) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(10) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development & Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 148, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 148, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development & Technology,

____________________________

GREGGOR ILAGAN, Chair