Relating to the regulation of combative sports by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation; creating a criminal offense.

89(R) SB 1181 - Senate Committee Report version - Bill Text

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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