HOUSE AMENDED PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 701, 879, 984 PRINTER'S NO. 1200
No. 632 Session of 1983
INTRODUCED BY MELLOW, SINGEL, O'CONNELL, FUMO, MUSTO AND FISHER, APRIL 13, 1983
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, SEPTEMBER 19, 1983
AN ACT 1 Amending the act of August 31, 1955 (P.L.531, No.131), entitled 2 "An act permitting and regulating wrestling and boxing 3 contests and exhibitions; requiring licenses and permits; 4 conferring powers and imposing duties upon the State Athletic 5 Commission; providing for the granting, suspension, and 6 revocation of licenses and permits issued by the Commission; 7 preserving the rights of existing licensees and permittees; 8 prescribing penalties, fines, forfeitures and misdemeanors; 9 requiring bonds and insurance; creating a Medical Advisory 10 Board; providing for rules and regulations; and making 11 appropriations," regulating kick boxing; further regulating 12 amateur boxing; establishing a State boxing register; 13 providing for medical training seminars; requiring certain 14 emergency medical equipment to be at situs of certain events; 15 further providing for suspension; further defining referee's 16 role in boxing contest; prohibiting tough guy contests or 17 battle of the brawlers contests; and providing a penalty. 18 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 19 hereby enacts as follows: 20 SECTION 1. SECTION 102 OF THE ACT OF AUGUST 31, 1955 <-- 21 (P.L.531, NO.131), KNOWN AS THE PENNSYLVANIA ATHLETIC CODE, IS 22 AMENDED BY ADDING DEFINITIONS TO READ: 23 SECTION 102. DEFINITIONS; CONSTRUCTION.--THE FOLLOWING TERMS 24 SHALL BE CONSTRUED WHEN USED IN THIS ACT TO HAVE THE FOLLOWING
1 MEANINGS, EXCEPT IN THOSE INSTANCES WHERE THE CONTEXT CLEARLY 2 INDICATES OTHERWISE: 3 * * * 4 "BOXING" SHALL MEAN THE ACT OF ATTACK AND DEFENSE WITH THE 5 FISTS, PRACTICED AS A SPORT, SUBJECT TO RULES ADOPTED BY THE 6 COMMISSION. THE TERM "BOXING" SHALL INCLUDE ALL VARIATIONS OF 7 THE SPORT PERMITTING OR USING OTHER PARTS OF THE HUMAN BODY, 8 INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOOT, KNEE, LEG, ELBOW OR 9 HEAD. 10 * * * 11 "WRESTLING" SHALL MEAN A SPORT OR CONTEST OR EXHIBITION IN 12 WHICH TWO UNARMED INDIVIDUALS STRUGGLE HAND TO HAND WITH EACH 13 INDIVIDUAL ATTEMPTING TO SUBDUE OR UNBALANCE THE OPPONENT. THE 14 TERM "WRESTLING" SHALL INCLUDE ALL VARIATIONS OF THE SPORT 15 PERMITTING OR USING OTHER PARTS OF THE HUMAN BODY OR OTHER 16 NATURAL OR MANMADE SUBSTANCES OR OBJECTS. 17 SECTION 2. SECTION 201 OF THE ACT, AMENDED MAY 24, 1956 18 (1955 P.L.1693, NO.574), IS AMENDED TO READ: 19 SECTION 201. POWER OF COMMISSION TO CONTROL WRESTLING AND 20 BOXING.--[THE] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 103, THE COMMISSION 21 IS HEREBY GRANTED SOLE DIRECTION, CONTROL AND JURISDICTION OVER 22 ALL AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL BOXING AND WRESTLING CONTESTS AND 23 EXHIBITIONS OR ANY VARIATIONS THEREOF HELD WITHIN THE 24 COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, EXCEPT SUCH CONTESTS AND 25 EXHIBITIONS AS ARE SPECIFICALLY EXEMPTED FROM THE PROVISIONS OF 26 THIS ACT. 27 Section 1 3. Section 202 of the act, of August 31, 1955 <-- 28 (P.L.531, No.131), known as the Pennsylvania Athletic Code, 29 amended June 18, 1976 (P.L.393, No.85), is amended to read: 30 Section 202. Boxing and Wrestling Regulated.--Amateur or 19830S0632B1200 - 2 -
1 professional boxing or wrestling contests or exhibitions 2 including kick boxing shall be held within the Commonwealth of 3 Pennsylvania only in accordance with the provisions of this act 4 and the rules and regulations promulgated hereunder. Such 5 contests or exhibitions may be held on Sundays. 6 Section 2 4. Section 204 of the act, amended May 24, 1956 <-- 7 (1955 P.L.1693, No.574), is amended to read: 8 Section 204. Physician to be in Attendance.--A physician 9 shall be assigned to every boxing or wrestling contest or 10 exhibition by the Commission. He shall observe and continue to 11 observe the physical condition of the participants and [advise 12 the member of the Commission or deputy in charge and the referee 13 in regard thereto.] be authorized to stop any contest or 14 exhibition at any time to examine a contestant and to terminate 15 a bout when in his judgment severe injury could result to a 16 contestant if the contest or exhibition were to continue. The 17 Commission shall establish by rule or regulation a schedule of 18 fees to be paid such physicians for their services. The 19 physician's fee shall be paid by the promoter of the contest or 20 exhibition attended by the physician. 21 Section 3 5. The act is amended by adding sections to read: <-- 22 Section 204.1. Medical Training Seminars.--The Commission 23 shall conduct frequent mandatory medical training seminars, at 24 least three (3) per year for all ring personnel, Commission 25 personnel and for other persons employed by the Commission and 26 designated to attend. 27 Section 204.2. Register.--The Commission shall establish and 28 maintain a register for all professional boxers licensed in 29 Pennsylvania. The register shall include a photograph of the 30 boxer. In the register, the Commission shall record the results 19830S0632B1200 - 3 -
1 of each boxing contest or exhibition the boxer is involved in, 2 including technical knockouts, knockouts and other boxing 3 related injuries, as well as the dates of each contest or 4 exhibition and the record of wins and losses. 5 Section 204.3. Medical Equipment.--No professional or 6 amateur boxing event shall be started unless there is on the 7 premises: 8 (1) an ambulance, together with emergency equipment; and 9 (2) a portable resuscitator with oxygen and appropriate 10 endotracheal tubes, and a qualified operator. 11 Section 204.4. Suspension.--For sound medical reasons and to 12 protect the individual boxers, the Commission shall establish 13 mandatory license suspensions of those persons who sustain 14 certain injuries. The Commission may suspend a boxer's license 15 for up to sixty (60) days for a laceration of the face, up to 16 thirty (30) days for a technical knockout with minor injuries 17 and up to forty-five (45) days for head injuries. Boxers 18 receiving a knockout may receive up to a ninety (90) day 19 suspension and shall receive an EEG within twenty-four (24) 20 hours of the knockout. 21 Section 4 6. Sections 208 and 210 of the act, amended May <-- 22 24, 1956 (1955 P.L.1693, No.574), are amended to read: 23 Section 208. Gloves.--[When the boxers are [lightweights, as <-- 24 defined in the regulations, or in a lighter class,] one hundred <-- 25 thirty-five (135) pounds or under, they shall wear boxing gloves 26 weighing not less than five (5) ounces each. When the boxers are <-- 27 over one hundred thirty-five (135) pounds but do not exceed one 28 hundred sixty (160) pounds, they shall wear boxing gloves 29 weighing not less than six (6) ounces each. When the boxers are 30 [in a heavier class than lightweights,] over one hundred sixty <-- 19830S0632B1200 - 4 -
1 (160) pounds, they shall wear boxing gloves weighing not less 2 than [six (6)] ten (10) ounces each.] THE TYPE, SIZE AND WEIGHT <-- 3 OF GLOVES ARE TO BE REGULATED BY THE STATE ATHLETIC COMMISSION. 4 Section 210. Attendance of Referee and Judges; Scoring.--At 5 each professional boxing contest or exhibition, except an 6 exhibition held solely for training purposes, there shall be in 7 attendance, at the expense of the promoter, a duly licensed 8 referee designated by the Commission who shall direct and 9 control the contest or exhibition. 10 There shall also be in attendance at every boxing contest, at 11 the expense of the promoter, [two (2)] three (3) licensed 12 judges, each of whom shall[, together with the referee,] render 13 his individual decision, in writing, on a scorecard supplied by 14 the Commission at the end of every boxing contest which 15 continues for the scheduled number of rounds. Each judge [and 16 the referee] shall have one (1) vote and a majority of the votes 17 cast shall determine the winner. 18 The Commission shall by rule or regulation prescribe the 19 methods of scoring. 20 Section 5 7. The act is amended by adding a section to read: <-- 21 Section 223. Prohibited Competition.--(a) A person commits 22 a misdemeanor of the first degree if he promotes, sponsors or 23 participates in any manner in the staging of, or the conduct of, 24 any tough guy contest or battle of the brawlers or in any 25 similar competition. 26 (b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the 27 news media, including but not limited to television, radio, 28 newspapers and periodicals, for their reporting or advertising <-- 29 activities relating to tough guy contests or battle of the 30 brawlers. 19830S0632B1200 - 5 -
1 (c) As used in this section the phrase "tough guy contest" 2 or "battle of the brawlers" means any competition which involves 3 any physical contact bout between two or more individuals, who 4 attempt to knock out their opponent by employing boxing, 5 wrestling, martial arts tactics or any combination thereof and 6 by using techniques including, but not limited to, punches, 7 kicks and choking. These phrases shall not apply to amateur or 8 professional contests sanctioned by the Pennsylvania Athletic 9 Commission nor to contests staged in connection with athletic 10 training programs nor to amateur or professional contests of the 11 martial arts nor to any collegiate or scholastic boxing, 12 wrestling or martial arts contests. 13 Section 6 8. Section 250 of the act, added May 24, 1956 <-- 14 (1955 P.L.1693, No.574), is amended to read: 15 Section 250. Mandatory Eight Count.--Whenever a boxer is 16 knocked down, he shall be required to take a count of eight, 17 even if he has regained his feet prior thereto, and the referee 18 shall not permit the contest or exhibition to be resumed until 19 the count of eight has actually been reached, except in 20 professional championship boxing contests and exhibitions. A 21 referee may give a standing eight count in those instances where 22 he deems necessary. 23 Section 7 9. This act shall take effect in 60 days. <-- C18L4JLW/19830S0632B1200 - 6 -