Utah Senate advances 5% pay‑per‑view boxing excise to third reading to fund amateur clubs

Senator Suazo introduced Senate Bill 48 on Feb. 19, proposing a 5% excise tax on pay‑per‑view boxing events delivered into Utah by cable or satellite to fund the state boxing commission and struggling amateur boxing clubs. Suazo told colleagues the commission must ensure ringside physicians, certified referees and judges, drug screening and other safety measures, but the commission has had difficulty staffing and overseeing local events.

Suazo said the tax is narrowly targeted to provide a small but reliable revenue stream for amateur clubs and the boxing commission; the fiscal analyst estimated proceeds of between $12,000 and $18,000 annually. He said the money would help maintain gym facilities and cover basic operating costs for volunteer-run clubs and would support the commission’s oversight responsibilities.

During floor discussion, members offered brief remarks recognizing a distinguished guest in the gallery, former middleweight champion Jane Fulmer, who was introduced by Suazo. With no substantive floor amendments, the Senate called the question and recorded a roll‑call vote: 26 yeas, 0 nays, 3 absent. The motion to place SB 48 on the third‑reading calendar carried.

If enacted, the excise would apply to pay‑per‑view boxing events brought into Utah through cable and satellite providers; Suazo emphasized the bill’s limited scope and likened it to other targeted excise approaches such as those used for wildlife or arts fees. The bill will next appear on the third‑reading calendar for final passage consideration.