MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
Regulation will come to MMA in 2009
The sport of mixed martial arts will finally be regulated by law after House Bill 1866 passed in the State House and Senate, and was signed into law by Gov. Linda Lingle last week.
The new bill, which won't go into effect until July 1, 2009, will give the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs the power to license anyone involved in an event -- including fighters -- for two years at a time and define formal rules for events.
The new law may keep regulation under the control of a state licensing department, instead of needing an athletic commission.
The bill will implement mandatory medical and drug testing for all fighters and proof of medical insurance for all fighters, and define formal rules for mixed martial arts bouts.
The state had only been collecting a one-time application fee of $500 to put on an event, but under the new bill, promoters will now have to pay 3 percent of the first $50,000 in gross ticket sales, 2 percent of all ticket sales over $50,000 and 2 percent of all media revenues.