S*1017 Session 106 (1985-1986)
S*1017(Rat #0471, Act #0427 of 1986) General Bill, By R.C. Shealy,
T.W. Mitchell and N.A. Theodore
A Bill to amend Chapter 7 of Title 52, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
relating to prize fighting and boxing, so as to provide that the Chapter shall
relate to state and county athletic commissions, to include wrestling in the
sports regulated, to require a licensed physician at ringside at all boxing
events, to provide for waivers of causes of action against any official
involved in an athletic event and time requirements relating to the filing of
applications, to delete requirements for annual reports by county athletic
commissions, and to delete responsibilities of county athletic commissions
which are assigned to the State Athletic Commission.-amended title
02/13/86 Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-583
02/13/86 Senate Referred to Committee on General SJ-583
03/06/86 Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
General SJ-847
03/25/86 Senate Read second time SJ-1174
03/25/86 Senate Ordered to third reading with notice of
amendments SJ-1174
03/27/86 Senate Amended SJ-1331
03/27/86 Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-1333
04/01/86 House Introduced and read first time HJ-2082
04/01/86 House Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and
Industry HJ-2082
04/23/86 House Committee report: Favorable with amendment Labor,
Commerce and Industry HJ-2525
04/29/86 House Debate adjourned until Thursday, May 1, 1986 HJ-2653
05/01/86 House Amended HJ-2776
05/01/86 House Read second time HJ-2781
05/02/86 House Read third time HJ-2803
05/02/86 House Returned HJ-2803
05/07/86 Senate Concurred in House amendment and enrolled SJ-2448
05/21/86 Ratified R 471
05/22/86 Signed By Governor
05/22/86 Effective date 05/22/86
05/22/86 Act No. 427
06/09/86 Copies available
(A427, R471, S1017)
AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 7 OF TITLE 52, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
RELATING TO PRIZE FIGHTING AND BOXING, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE CHAPTER SHALL
RELATE TO STATE AND COUNTY ATHLETIC COMMISSIONS, TO INCLUDE WRESTLING IN THE
SPORTS REGULATED, TO REQUIRE A LICENSED PHYSICIAN AT RINGSIDE AT ALL BOXING
EVENTS, TO PROVIDE FOR WAIVERS OF CAUSES OF ACTION AGAINST ANY OFFICIAL INVOLVED
IN AN ATHLETIC EVENT AND TIME REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO THE FILING OF
APPLICATIONS, TO DELETE REQUIREMENTS FOR ANNUAL REPORTS BY COUNTY ATHLETIC
COMMISSIONS, AND TO DELETE RESPONSIBILITIES OF COUNTY ATHLETIC COMMISSIONS WHICH
ARE ASSIGNED TO THE STATE ATHLETIC COMMISSION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
State Athletic Commission created
SECTION 1. Chapter 7, Title 52 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 134 of
1985, is further amended to read:
"CHAPTER 7
State and County Athletic Commissions
Article 1
State Athletic Commission
Section 52-7-10. There is created the State Athletic Commission (commission)
to consist of seven members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent
of the Senate. One member must be appointed from each congressional district of
the State and a member who shall serve as Chief Athletic Commissioner must be
appointed from the State at large. The terms of the members are for four years
and until their successors are appointed and qualify. Vacancies must be filled
by the Governor for the remainder of an unexpired term. The Commissioners and
employees of the State Athletic Commission may not have any financial interest,
direct or indirect, in the promotion, management, or result of any boxing,
wrestling, or sparring event.
Section 52-7-20. The commission shall meet at least twice yearly at the call
of the Chief Athletic Commissioner and the members are allowed the usual per
diem, mileage, and subsistence as provided by law for members of boards,
committees, and commissions. The Chief Athletic Commissioner shall administer the
affairs of the commission under policies established by the commission. Decisions
of the Chief Athletic Commissioner may be appealed to the full commission.
Section 52-7-30. The commission has direction, management, control, and
supervision over all boxing, wrestling, and sparring events, exhibitions,
contests, and performances whether in person or via closed circuit television
(events) in this State. The commission shall promulgate regulations as necessary
for the protection of the health and safety of participants and to carry out the
provisions of this article. The Chief Athletic Commissioner may appoint a chief
inspector and referees, inspectors, other officials, and clerical help as he
determines necessary to administer the provisions of this article.
Section 52-7-40. No person may hold or participate in an event without a
license from the commission. All licenses are valid for one year. The commission
shall by regulation establish a schedule of fees for licenses.
Section 52-7-50. Every application for a license under this section must be
duly verified and in writing, and, in the case of a corporation or association,
signed by its president and attested by its secretary. It shall set forth the
information required by the commission and the application for a participant's
license must be accompanied by a copy of the applicant's birth certificate or
other proof of age as may be acceptable to the commission and a written waiver
by the applicant of any cause of action against any member or employee of the
commission, or of any county athletic commission, referee, ringside physician,
or other official arising out of the proper performance of their official duties.
No license may be granted to a participant less than eighteen years of age but
the commission may by unanimous vote waive this age limit for a specific
participant. License applications must be filed with the commission at least one
week prior to the commission's actions but the time requirement may be waived in
the event of emergency substitutions.
Section 52-7-60. The commission may revoke any license, after hearing, for
cause. It may discipline any principal, manager, second, promoter, matchmaker,
or participant who violates the provisions of this article or the applicable
regulations. Disciplinary action may take the form of a civil penalty or
revocation or suspension of a license held by a licensee connected with the
violation for all or any part of the unexpired portion and a refusal to renew a
license, or both.
Section 52-7-70. No boxing event may be held by any person unless the person
has notified, at least two weeks in advance, the commission, in a form prescribed
by the commission, of the proposed event and in addition to having a license as
contained in Section 52-7-40, has obtained from the commission at least ten days
prior to the proposed date, a written permit. No boxing permit may be issued
unless the applicant:
(1) provides the names of all anticipated participants;
(2) provides evidence that a policy of medical and hospitalization insurance
satisfactory to the commission covers every participant;
(3) files a surety bond with the applications in an amount equal to the
total value of any purse offered.
No wrestling event may be held by any person unless the person has a current
license issued as required in Section 52-7-40 and has complied with the
regulations for obtaining a permit issued by the commission.
Section 52-7-80. No person may be licensed to participate in any event who
is not at least eighteen years of age but the commission may waive this
prohibition for a specific participant as provided in Section 52-7-50.
Section 52-7-90. Each participant must have a physician's certificate issued
prior to the event stating that the participant is in good physical condition.
No boxing event may be held unless a licensed physician is at ringside.
Section 52-7-100. A participant who has suffered a knockout may not take part
in any event for thirty days following the knockout.
Section 52-7-110. No event may be more than fifteen rounds in length. The
boxing participants shall wear gloves weighing at least eight ounces.
Section 52-7-120. Any building or structure used or intended to be used for
any boxing, wrestling, or sparring event must be properly ventilated and provided
with fire escapes and must conform with the laws, ordinances, and regulations
pertaining to buildings in the political subdivision where it is situated.
Section 52-7-130. Any person who sells, or causes to be sold, more tickets
or invitations for any boxing, wrestling, or sparring event than the seating
capacity of the building or structure actually used for an event shall forfeit
his license, and is disqualified from receiving any new license or any renewal
of license.
Section 52-7-140. The provisions of this article do not apply to any boxing,
wrestling, or sparring exhibition, contest, or performance conducted by any
institution of higher education or secondary school if all participants are
students regularly enrolled in the institution or school, nor does this article
apply to boxing or wrestling matches sanctioned by the Amateur Athletic Union or
the United States Amateur Boxing Federation. No amateur boxer may appear on a
professional card unless it is held under the jurisdiction of the Professional
Karate Association.
Section 52-7-150. Any person who knowingly violates the provisions of this
article, or regulations promulgated thereunder is guilty of a misdemeanor and
upon conviction must be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned
for not more than two years, or both.
Article 3
County Athletic Commissions
Section 52-7-310. The athletic commission of each county shall consist of
five members, two to be appointed by the Senators representing the county, two
by the members of the House of Representatives representing the county, and one
by the mayor of the city having the largest population within the county. If a
county has municipalities in excess of fifty thousand population then that member
must be appointed by the mayors of those municipalities. It is the duty of the
commission to see that a record of the appointees to the commission is filed in
the office of the State Athletic Commission so as to indicate the persons holding
office and the duration of their respective terms. All of the members shall
serve without compensation and their respective terms of office are coterminous
with the terms of office of persons by whom they were appointed. No member may
have any financial interest, direct or indirect in the promotion, management, or
result of any boxing, wrestling, or sparring event.
It is the responsibility of each commission that the health and safety of
participants in boxing matches is safeguarded and that good sportsmanship is
encouraged by the manner in which matches are conducted."
Time effective
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor. |