Senate advances bill to create Utah Athletic Commission after questions on name and fiscal note

Senator Suazo on Jan. 17 presented Senate Bill 25 to repeal the Utah Professional Boxing Act and create a Utah Athletic Commission, a five-member board to license promoters, managers, contestants, judges and referees and oversee professional combat events.

"The state of Nevada enjoys a $400,000,000 industry with professional boxing," Senator Suazo said, framing the bill as an economic-development measure and noting the model follows other states’ commissions. He also said the commission would be independent of the Division of Occupational Licensing and would include an executive director and support staff to promote the sport.

Senator Fulton suggested the bill title could be broadened to avoid confusion with existing groups such as the Utah Sports Foundation; Senator Suazo agreed to consider a more descriptive name. Senator Wadipes and others pressed for clarity on the fiscal note; Senator Suazo reported a FY02 fiscal-note estimate of $161,200 and anticipated revenue of $115,700 and said he was working with the fiscal analyst to reconcile a roughly $40,000 difference.

After brief questioning on name and fiscal detail, the Senate voted to advance SB 25 to the third-reading calendar (recorded floor tally: 28 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent). The bill was described by its sponsor as also intended to close a loophole covering unregulated "fight clubs" and to govern a range of combative entertainment beyond professional boxing.

Next steps: SB 25 will return on the third-reading calendar for final floor consideration and any final amendments.