State Athletic Commission - Blood Testing of Contestants - Timing

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0236*

HOUSE BILL 236
C2 6lr0126
(PRE–FILED) CF SB 32
By: Chair, Economic Matters Committee (By Request – Departmental – Labor)
Requested: September 17, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Economic Matters
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 15, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

State Athletic Commission – Blood Testing of Contestants – Timing 2

FOR the purpose of extending the period of time before applying for a license to participate 3
in a boxing, kick boxing, wrestling, or mixed martial arts contest and before 4
participating in the contest during which certain blood testing may be conducted for 5
purposes of submission of the results to the State Athletic Commission; and 6
generally relating to the State Athletic Commission and required blood testing of 7
contestants. 8

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 9
Article – Business Regulation 10
Section 4–101(a) and (c) through (e) 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 14
Article – Business Regulation 15
Section 4–304.1(a) and (b) 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 18

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20

2 HOUSE BILL 236

Article – Business Regulation 1

4–101. 2

(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 3

(c) “Commission” means the State Athletic Commission. 4

(d) (1) “Contest” means a boxing, kick boxing, or wrestling: 5

(i) competition; 6

(ii) exhibition; 7

(iii) match; 8

(iv) performance; or 9

(v) show. 10

(2) “Contest” includes a mixed martial arts: 11

(i) competition; 12

(ii) match; 13

(iii) performance; or 14

(iv) show. 15

(3) “Contest” does not include a mixed martial arts exhibition. 16

(e) “Contestant” means an individual who participates in a boxing, professional 17
kick boxing, amateur kick boxing, professional mixed martial arts, or amateur mixed 18
martial arts contest. 19

4–304.1. 20

(a) Each applicant for a license to participate as a contestant in a contest shall 21
present documentary evidence, satisfactory to the Commission, that: 22

(1) within the prior [30–day] 90–DAY period, the applicant has been tested 23
for the presence of: 24

(i) antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); 25

(ii) the antigen of virus hepatitis B; and 26
HOUSE BILL 236 3

(iii) antibodies to virus hepatitis C; and 1

(2) the results of all tests are negative. 2

(b) Whenever directed by the Commission, an individual who is licensed to 3
participate as a contestant in a contest shall present documentary evidence, satisfactory to 4
the Commission, that: 5

(1) within [30] 90 days prior to participating in a contest, the individual 6
has been tested for the presence of: 7

(i) antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); 8

(ii) the antigen of virus hepatitis B; and 9

(iii) antibodies to virus hepatitis C; and 10

(2) the results of all tests are negative. 11

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 12
October 1, 2026. 13

Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.