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Senate advances boxing-regulation bill to create oversight, testing requirements
Summary
House Bill 60 would create a professional boxing commission with medical, bonding and testing requirements to protect participants and spectators. Sponsors described HIV and illegal-drug testing, bonding and a commission that sets safety standards; the measure passed on the floor and was placed on the third-reading calendar.
House Bill 60, carried by Senator Wharton, would establish the Utah Professional Boxing Regulation Act to create a regulatory framework and a boxing commission to oversee matches, require medical screening and testing and set bonding and conduct standards for promoters and participants.
Wharton told the Senate the bill "puts regulations on and tries to clean up that aspect of the sport," describing HIV testing, illegal-drug testing, bonding requirements and professional oversight as consumer- and participant-protection measures. Supporters framed the bill as a public-safety and consumer-protection measure that also supports professionally run matches.
Questions on the floor addressed whether to include other combat sports (karate and martial arts); sponsors said those disciplines were considered but separated because of differing regulatory needs. The Senate called the question and recorded 28 ayes, no nays, 1 absent; HB 60 was sent to the bottom of the third-reading calendar.
