Almanac

Professional Boxing Safety Act

Published

04/10/2008

To provide for the safety of journeymen boxers, and for other purposes
(Introduced in the US House of Representatives,104th CONGRESS, March 5, 1995)

A BILL

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Professional Boxing Safety Act’.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

For purposes of this Act–

(1) the term `boxer’ means a person who participates in a professional boxing match;

(2) the term `licensee’ means an individual who serves as a trainer, second, or cut man for a professional boxer;

(3) the term `manager’ means a person or business who helps arrange professional boxing matches for a boxer, and who serves as an advisor or representative of a boxer in a professional capacity;

(4) the term `matchmaker’ means a person or business that proposes, selects, and arranges the boxers to participate in a professional boxing event;

(5) the term `professional boxing match’ means a boxing contest held in the United States between individuals for compensation or a prize, and does not include any amateur boxing match;

(6) the term `promoter’ means a person or business that organizes, holds, advertises, or otherwise conducts a professional boxing match; and

(7) the term `State boxing commission’ means a State agency with authority to regulate professional boxing.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

The purposes of this Act are–

(1) to improve and expand the system of safety precautions that protects the welfare of professional boxers; and

(2) to assist State boxing commissions to provide proper oversight for the professional boxing industry in the United States.

SEC. 4. PROFESSIONAL BOXING MATCHES.

A professional boxing match may be held in the United States only if–

(1)(A) the State where the professional boxing match is to be held has a State boxing commission; or

(B) the promoter who seeks to put on a boxing event in a State that does not have a boxing commission has entered into an agreement with the chief administrative officer of a State that has a boxing commission to oversee the match; and

(2) the State boxing commission has established procedures to carry out sections 5, 6, and 7.

SEC. 5. REGISTRATION.

(a) REQUIREMENT- Each professional boxer shall register with–

(1) the State boxing commission of the State in which such boxer resides; or

(2) in the case of a boxer who is a resident of a foreign country, or a State in which there is no State boxing commission, the State boxing commission of any State that has such a commission.

(b) IDENTIFICATION CARD-

(1) ISSUANCE- A State boxing commission shall issue to each professional boxer who registers in accordance with subsection (a), an identification card that contains–

(A) a recent photograph of the boxer;

(B) the social security number of the boxer (or, in the case of a foreign boxer, any similar citizen identification number or professional boxer number from the country of residence of the boxer); and

(C) the personal identification numbers assigned to the boxer by the boxing registries certified by the Association of Boxing Commissioners.

(2) RENEWAL- Each professional boxer shall renew his or her identification card at least once every 3 years.

(3) PRESENTATION- Each professional boxer shall present his or her identification card to the State boxing commission not later than the time of the weigh-in for a professional boxing match.

(c) RELATION TO STATE LAW- Nothing in this section shall be construed as preventing a State from applying additional registration requirements.

SEC. 6. REVIEW.

Each State boxing commission shall establish procedures–

(1) to evaluate the professional records of each boxer participating in a boxing match in the State;

(2) to ensure that no boxer is permitted to box while under suspension from any State boxing commission due to injury or other medical-related reason, including–

(A) a recent knockout, injury, or requirement for a medical procedure;

(B) failure of a drug test;

(D) the use of false aliases, or falsifying, or attempts to falsify, official identification cards or documents; and

(3) to ensure that if such commission is considering permitting a boxer, promoter, manager, or other licensee to participate in a boxing event while the individual is under suspension from any State for reasons other than the reasons listed in paragraph (2), such commission shall notify and consult with the chief administrative officer of the State that ordered the suspension prior to the grant of approval for such individual to participate in such boxing event.

SEC. 7. REPORTING.

(a) BOXING MATCH RESULTS- Not later than 48 business hours (excluding Saturdays and Sundays) after the conclusion of a professional boxing match, the results of such match shall be reported to the professional boxing registries certified by the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) and to the Florida State Athletic Commission.

(b) SUSPENSIONS- Not later than 48 business hours (excluding Saturdays and Sundays) after a State boxing commission orders the suspension of a boxer, promoter, or manager, such suspension shall be reported to the professional boxing registries certified by the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) and to the Florida State Athletic Commission.

(c) ALTERNATE REPORTING ENTITY- If the State of Florida ceases, for any reason, to publish and circulate a national suspension list at no cost to other States on a frequent basis, the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) shall select a different public or private entity to voluntarily undertake to compile and circulate a suspension list to all State commissions at no cost.

SEC. 8. ENFORCEMENT.

(a) INJUNCTIONS- Whenever the United States Attorney in a State has reasonable cause to believe that a person or entity is engaged in a violation of this Act in such State, the United States Attorney may bring a civil action in the appropriate district court of the United States requesting such relief, including a permanent or temporary injunction, restraining order, or other order, against the person or entity, as the United States Attorney determines necessary to restrain the person or entity from continuing to engage in, or to sanction, a professional boxing match in violation of this Act.

(b) CRIMINAL PENALTIES-

(1) MANAGERS, PROMOTERS, MATCHMAKERS, AND LICENSEES- Each manager, promoter, matchmaker, and licensee who knowingly and willfully violates any provision of this Act shall be imprisoned for not more than 1 year or fined more than $20,000, or both.

(2) BOXERS- Any professional boxer who knowingly and willfully violates any provision of this Act shall be fined not more than $1,000.

SEC. 9. STUDY.

(a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Labor shall conduct a study on the feasibility and cost of a national pension system for professional boxers, including potential funding sources.

(b) REPORT- Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall submit a report to the Congress on the findings of the study conducted pursuant to subsection (a).

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