Plain English Breakdown
The official text states the bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, but does not show an effective date or governor's signature in this excerpt.
Sponsorship Deals for Boxing and MMA Officials
This law allows the State Athletic Commission to sell space on officials' uniforms to sponsors, with most of the money going into retirement funds for fighters.
What This Bill Does
- Allows the commission to hire an assistant chief athletic inspector focused on training duties.
- Permits companies to put their names or logos on the clothes worn by referees, judges, and ringside physicians.
- Requires that sponsorship deals do not promote fake contests.
- Sends 25% of sponsorship money to the Athletic Commission Fund for general use.
- Divides the remaining 75% of sponsorship money between the Boxers' Pension Fund and the Mixed Martial Arts Retirement Benefit Fund based on revenue sources.
- Allows a one-time payment from MMA fund surplus to fighters who would have qualified under older rules.
Who It Names or Affects
- The State Athletic Commission
- Referees, judges, and ringside physicians in boxing and mixed martial arts events
- Companies that want to sponsor these officials' apparel
- Boxers and mixed martial artists who receive retirement benefits
Terms To Know
- Athletic Commission Fund
- A state account used for the general operations of the commission.
- Boxers' Pension Fund (BP Fund)
- An account that holds money specifically to pay retirement benefits to boxers.
- Mixed Martial Arts Retirement Benefit Fund (MMA Fund)
- An account that holds money specifically to pay retirement benefits to mixed martial artists.
Limits and Unknowns
- The commission cannot start these sponsorship deals until it writes and releases new rules about how to choose sponsors.
- Breaking the rules in this bill is not a crime, unlike some other violations under current law.
- A one-time payment from the MMA Fund only happens if there is enough extra money left after paying for expected future benefits.