HOUSE BILL 351

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

Al Park

AN ACT

RELATING TO BUSINESS LICENSES; PROVIDING FOR JURISDICTION OF AMATEUR MIXED MARTIAL ARTS CONTESTS; EXPANDING DEFINITIONS; AMENDING AND ENACTING SECTIONS OF THE PROFESSIONAL ATHLETIC COMPETITION ACT.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. Section 60-2A-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1980, Chapter 90, Section 2, as amended) is amended to read:

     "60-2A-2. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Professional Athletic Competition Act:

          A. "board" means the medical advisory board;

          B. "commission" means the New Mexico athletic commission;

          C. "contestant" means a person who engages in unarmed combat for remuneration;

          D. "department" means the regulation and licensing department;

          [C.] E. "foreign co-promoter" means a promoter who has no place of business in this state;

          F. "manager":

                (1) means a person who:

                     (a) undertakes to represent the interests of another person by contract, agreement or other arrangement in procuring, arranging or conducting a professional contest or exhibition in which the represented person will participate as a contestant;

                     (b) directs or controls the activities of an unarmed combatant relating to the participation of the unarmed combatant in professional contests or exhibitions;

                     (c) receives or is entitled to receive at least ten percent of the gross purse or gross income of any professional unarmed combatant for services relating to the participation of the unarmed combatant in a professional contest or exhibition; or

                     (d) receives compensation for services as an agent or representative of an unarmed combatant; and

                (2) does not include an attorney who is licensed to practice law in this state if the attorney's participation in any of the activities described in Paragraph (1) of this subsection is limited solely to the legal representation of a client who is an unarmed combatant;

          [D.] G. "professional boxer" or "professional wrestler" means an individual who competes for money, prizes or purses or who teaches, pursues or assists in the practice of boxing, wrestling or martial arts as a means of obtaining a livelihood or pecuniary gain;

          [E.] H. "professional contest" means any professional boxing, wrestling or martial arts contest or exhibition, whether or not an admission fee is charged for admission of the public;

          [F.] I. "promoter" means any person, and in the case of a corporate promoter includes any officer, director or stockholder of the corporation, who produces or stages any professional boxing, wrestling or martial arts contest, exhibition or closed circuit television show;

          [G.] J. "purse" means the financial guarantee or any other remuneration, or part thereof, for which professional boxers or professional wrestlers are participating in a contest or exhibition and includes the participant's share of any payment received for radio broadcasting, television or motion picture rights;

          [H.] K. "ring official" means any person who performs an official function during the progress of a contest or exhibition; [and

          I. "department" means the regulation and licensing department]

          L. "unarmed combat" means boxing, wrestling, martial arts or any form of competition in which a blow is usually struck that may reasonably be expected to inflict injury; and

          M. "unarmed combatant" means:

                (1) a person who engages in unarmed combat in a contest or exhibition, whether or not the person receives remuneration, including a wrestler, boxer, mixed martial artist or other contestant; or

                (2) an amateur boxer who is registered with United States amateur boxing, incorporated, or any other amateur organization recognized by the commission and participates in an amateur boxing contest or exhibition in the state that is registered and sanctioned by United States amateur boxing, incorporated or golden gloves of America."

     Section 2. A new section of the Professional Athletic Competition Act is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] JURISDICTION OF COMMISSION OVER UNARMED COMBAT CONTESTS.--

          A. The commission shall have sole direction, management, control and jurisdiction over all contests or exhibitions of unarmed combat to be conducted, held or given within New Mexico, and no contest or exhibition may be conducted, held or given within the state except in accordance with the provisions of the Professional Athletic Competition Act.

          B. Any contest involving a form of Oriental unarmed self-defense must be conducted pursuant to rules for that form that are approved by the commission before the contest is conducted, held or given in the state except in accordance with the provisions of the Professional Athletic Competition Act."

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