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AN ACT relating to the Boxing and Wrestling Commission. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
Section 1. KRS 229.011 is amended to read as follows: 3
As used in this chapter unless the context clearly indicates otherwise the following 4
definitions shall apply: 5
(1) "Advertise" means the use of handbills, placards, posters, billboards, pictures, 6
printed or written material or newspapers or other publications, or radio, television, 7
Internet, and other communication media; 8
(2) "Boxing" means a contest or exhibition in which a person delivers blows with the 9
fist that may be reasonably expected to disable or inflict injury and in which boxers 10
compete for money, a prize, or other pecuniary gain, or for which admission is 11
charged to spectators; 12
(3) "Commission" means the Kentucky Boxing and Wrestling Commission; 13
(4) "Exhibition" means an event or engagement: 14
(a) In which the participants show or display their skills without necessarily 15
striving to win;[ or] 16
(b) That involves amateurs not under the jurisdiction of the Kentucky High 17
School Athletic Association, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the 18
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, the Amateur Athletic Union, 19
Golden Gloves, USA Boxing, or USA Wrestling[, or a public show to which 20
an admission ticket is required, or other charge is made, or invitation]; or 21
(c) A public show to which an admission ticket is required, or other charge is 22
made, that is not sanctioned by one (1) of the sanctioning bodies listed in 23
paragraph (b) of this subsection. 24
(5) "Kickboxing" means a boxing contest or exhibition where the participants are 25
allowed to throw kicks or foot blows at the opponent in addition to punching with 26
the hands and in which kickboxers compete for money, a prize, or other pecuniary 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 23 RS BR 1215
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gain, or for which admission is charged to spectators; 1
(6) "Mixed martial arts" means any form of unarmed contest or exhibition in which 2
participants compete for money, a prize, or other pecuniary gain, or for which 3
admission is charged to spectators. Mixed martial arts may include any element or 4
combination of elements of boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, or other martial arts. 5
Exhibitions where participants are judged on form and style and where punches and 6
kicks are pulled shall not be included in this definition; 7
(7) "Muay thai" means a boxing contest or exhibition where the participants are 8
allowed combined use of clinches, elbows, knees, and shins in addition to punching 9
with the hands and in which participants compete for money, a prize, or other 10
pecuniary gain, or for which admission is charged to spectators; 11
(8) "Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation, association, or club; 12
(9) "Show" means any boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, muay thai, or wrestling 13
match, contest, or exhibition coming under the jurisdiction of the Kentucky Boxing 14
and Wrestling Commission; 15
(10) "Unarmed combat" means boxing, kickboxing, sparring, wrestling, mixed martial 16
arts, or muay thai under the jurisdiction of the commission; and 17
(11) "Wrestling" means an activity or performance of athletic and wrestling skill 18
between individuals who are not under the jurisdiction of the Kentucky High 19
School Athletic Association, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the 20
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, or USA Wrestling in which the 21
participants struggle hand-to-hand primarily for the purpose of providing 22
entertainment to spectators rather than conducting a bona fide athletic contest. The 23
outcome of these matches may be predetermined. Participating wrestlers may not be 24
required to use their best efforts in order to win. 25
Section 2. KRS 229.045 is amended to read as follows: 26
(1) USA Boxing is the only sanctioning body recognized to conduct combat sports not 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 23 RS BR 1215
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covered under this chapter. 1
(2) All other sanctioning bodies shall be nonprofit and submit a request to the 2
commission to be recognized as a sanctioning body according to the requirements 3
the commission establishes through the promulgation of an administrative 4
regulation. 5
(3) Sanctioning bodies shall provide notice to the commission of all combat sports 6
exhibitions not otherwise covered under this chapter for publication in a calendar 7
of events by the commission pursuant to Section 3 of this Act. 8
Section 3. KRS 229.171 is amended to read as follows: 9
(1) The commission is vested with the sole direction, management, control, and 10
jurisdiction over all unarmed combat shows to be conducted, held, or given within 11
the Commonwealth. The commission is hereby given the sole control, authority, 12
and jurisdiction over all licenses to: 13
(a) Hold unarmed combat shows for prizes or purses or where an admission fee 14
or donation is received, or a ticket or invitation is required to attend; and 15
(b) Participate in the unarmed combat shows. 16
(2) The commission may promulgate administrative regulations it considers necessary 17
or expedient for the performance of its functions provided in this chapter, including 18
establishing a calendar of events that describes combat exhibitions taking place 19
in the Commonwealth. In recognition of the fact that more supervision is desirable 20
in this area, it is the intention of the General Assembly to confer upon the 21
commission wider discretion than that ordinarily possessed by administrative 22
agencies. 23
(3) The commission shall be responsible for the following: 24
(a) Developing programs and procedures that will aggressively fulfill its 25
oversight and regulatory role, with full accountability and internal controls to 26
protect athletes in the ring; 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 23 RS BR 1215
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(b) Adhering to the best regulatory practices and due process procedures to 1
protect the regulated community and the interests of the Commonwealth, and 2
ensuring that all education and training requirements for hearing officers and 3
members serving as hearing officers under KRS Chapter 13B are met; 4
(c) Developing the Commonwealth's goals of providing the professional staff 5
necessary to ensure that events are effectively regulated, while allowing 6
commission members to provide the policy oversight necessary to protect the 7
integrity of the regulatory program; and 8
(d) Recommending changes to statutory and regulatory authorities to best protect 9
athletes, while Promoting Kentucky as a world-class market for major events. 10