By: Alvarado S.B. No. 1181
(In the Senate - Filed February 7, 2025; February 28, 2025,
read first time and referred to Committee on Business & Commerce;
April 22, 2025, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 11,
Nays 0; April 22, 2025, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the regulation of combative sports by the Texas
Department of Licensing and Regulation; creating a criminal
offense.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 2052.110, Occupations Code, is amended
to read as follows:
Sec. 2052.110. LICENSE AND BONDING EXCEPTIONS. If the
contestants are amateurs, the licensing and bonding requirements of
this chapter do not apply to:
(1) an event conducted by a college, school, or
university that is part of the institution's athletic program in
which only students of educational institutions participate;
(2) an event [which is] conducted by a troop, battery,
company, or unit of the Texas National Guard or a law enforcement
agency [and] in which only members of military or law enforcement
organizations participate; or
(3) an event [which is] conducted by:
(A) a member [an] organization or recognized
sports organization of the United States Olympic & [Games, the]
Paralympic Committee; or
(B) an international sports federation or
recognized federation of the International Olympic Committee
[Games, or the Pan-American Games and in which participants train
or compete for advancement to or within the games].
SECTION 2. Section 2052.115, Occupations Code, is amended
to read as follows:
Sec. 2052.115. PROMOTER RESPONSIBILITIES. For each
promoted event, a promoter shall:
(1) before holding the event, obtain department
approval in the form and manner required by the department;
(2) ensure [assure that] all contestants
participating in the event satisfy the eligibility requirements for
licensure [scheduled to participate are licensed before the event];
(3) [(2)] provide [that] an ambulance, serviced by at
least two emergency medical technicians, [is present] on the
premises where the event is held;
(4) [(3)] provide for a physical examination of each
contestant that complies with rules adopted under this chapter; and
(5) [(4)] comply with all commission rules.
SECTION 3. Section 2052.254, Occupations Code, is amended
to read as follows:
Sec. 2052.254. ELIMINATION TOURNAMENTS. Except as
authorized by commission rule, an [An] elimination tournament may
not be conducted in this state.
SECTION 4. Subchapter G, Chapter 2052, Occupations Code, is
amended by adding Section 2052.301 to read as follows:
Sec. 2052.301. UNAUTHORIZED EVENT; CRIMINAL OFFENSE. (a)
A person commits an offense if the person knowingly acts as a
promoter of an event the department has not approved as required by
Section 2052.115.
(b) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
SECTION 5. Section 2052.3015, Occupations Code, is
repealed.
SECTION 6. (a) The change in law made by this Act does not
affect the validity of a proceeding pending before a court or other
governmental entity on the effective date of this Act.
(b) The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation shall
prescribe the form and manner of approval required by Section
2052.115, Occupations Code, as amended by this Act. The Texas
Commission of Licensing and Regulation may adopt any rules
necessary to implement the changes in law made by this Act.
(c) An offense or other violation of law committed before
the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when
the offense or violation was committed, and the former law is
continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this
subsection, an offense or violation was committed before the
effective date of this Act if any element of the offense or
violation occurred before that date.
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
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