HOUSE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 701, 879, 984 PRINTER'S NO. 1200
No. 632 Session of 1983
INTRODUCED BY MELLOW, SINGEL, O'CONNELL, FUMO, MUSTO AND FISHER,
APRIL 13, 1983
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, SEPTEMBER 19, 1983
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of August 31, 1955 (P.L.531, No.131), entitled
2 "An act permitting and regulating wrestling and boxing
3 contests and exhibitions; requiring licenses and permits;
4 conferring powers and imposing duties upon the State Athletic
5 Commission; providing for the granting, suspension, and
6 revocation of licenses and permits issued by the Commission;
7 preserving the rights of existing licensees and permittees;
8 prescribing penalties, fines, forfeitures and misdemeanors;
9 requiring bonds and insurance; creating a Medical Advisory
10 Board; providing for rules and regulations; and making
11 appropriations," regulating kick boxing; further regulating
12 amateur boxing; establishing a State boxing register;
13 providing for medical training seminars; requiring certain
14 emergency medical equipment to be at situs of certain events;
15 further providing for suspension; further defining referee's
16 role in boxing contest; prohibiting tough guy contests or
17 battle of the brawlers contests; and providing a penalty.
18 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
19 hereby enacts as follows:
20 SECTION 1. SECTION 102 OF THE ACT OF AUGUST 31, 1955 <--
21 (P.L.531, NO.131), KNOWN AS THE PENNSYLVANIA ATHLETIC CODE, IS
22 AMENDED BY ADDING DEFINITIONS TO READ:
23 SECTION 102. DEFINITIONS; CONSTRUCTION.--THE FOLLOWING TERMS
24 SHALL BE CONSTRUED WHEN USED IN THIS ACT TO HAVE THE FOLLOWING
1 MEANINGS, EXCEPT IN THOSE INSTANCES WHERE THE CONTEXT CLEARLY
2 INDICATES OTHERWISE:
3 * * *
4 "BOXING" SHALL MEAN THE ACT OF ATTACK AND DEFENSE WITH THE
5 FISTS, PRACTICED AS A SPORT, SUBJECT TO RULES ADOPTED BY THE
6 COMMISSION. THE TERM "BOXING" SHALL INCLUDE ALL VARIATIONS OF
7 THE SPORT PERMITTING OR USING OTHER PARTS OF THE HUMAN BODY,
8 INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOOT, KNEE, LEG, ELBOW OR
9 HEAD.
10 * * *
11 "WRESTLING" SHALL MEAN A SPORT OR CONTEST OR EXHIBITION IN
12 WHICH TWO UNARMED INDIVIDUALS STRUGGLE HAND TO HAND WITH EACH
13 INDIVIDUAL ATTEMPTING TO SUBDUE OR UNBALANCE THE OPPONENT. THE
14 TERM "WRESTLING" SHALL INCLUDE ALL VARIATIONS OF THE SPORT
15 PERMITTING OR USING OTHER PARTS OF THE HUMAN BODY OR OTHER
16 NATURAL OR MANMADE SUBSTANCES OR OBJECTS.
17 SECTION 2. SECTION 201 OF THE ACT, AMENDED MAY 24, 1956
18 (1955 P.L.1693, NO.574), IS AMENDED TO READ:
19 SECTION 201. POWER OF COMMISSION TO CONTROL WRESTLING AND
20 BOXING.--[THE] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 103, THE COMMISSION
21 IS HEREBY GRANTED SOLE DIRECTION, CONTROL AND JURISDICTION OVER
22 ALL AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL BOXING AND WRESTLING CONTESTS AND
23 EXHIBITIONS OR ANY VARIATIONS THEREOF HELD WITHIN THE
24 COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, EXCEPT SUCH CONTESTS AND
25 EXHIBITIONS AS ARE SPECIFICALLY EXEMPTED FROM THE PROVISIONS OF
26 THIS ACT.
27 Section 1 3. Section 202 of the act, of August 31, 1955 <--
28 (P.L.531, No.131), known as the Pennsylvania Athletic Code,
29 amended June 18, 1976 (P.L.393, No.85), is amended to read:
30 Section 202. Boxing and Wrestling Regulated.--Amateur or
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1 professional boxing or wrestling contests or exhibitions
2 including kick boxing shall be held within the Commonwealth of
3 Pennsylvania only in accordance with the provisions of this act
4 and the rules and regulations promulgated hereunder. Such
5 contests or exhibitions may be held on Sundays.
6 Section 2 4. Section 204 of the act, amended May 24, 1956 <--
7 (1955 P.L.1693, No.574), is amended to read:
8 Section 204. Physician to be in Attendance.--A physician
9 shall be assigned to every boxing or wrestling contest or
10 exhibition by the Commission. He shall observe and continue to
11 observe the physical condition of the participants and [advise
12 the member of the Commission or deputy in charge and the referee
13 in regard thereto.] be authorized to stop any contest or
14 exhibition at any time to examine a contestant and to terminate
15 a bout when in his judgment severe injury could result to a
16 contestant if the contest or exhibition were to continue. The
17 Commission shall establish by rule or regulation a schedule of
18 fees to be paid such physicians for their services. The
19 physician's fee shall be paid by the promoter of the contest or
20 exhibition attended by the physician.
21 Section 3 5. The act is amended by adding sections to read: <--
22 Section 204.1. Medical Training Seminars.--The Commission
23 shall conduct frequent mandatory medical training seminars, at
24 least three (3) per year for all ring personnel, Commission
25 personnel and for other persons employed by the Commission and
26 designated to attend.
27 Section 204.2. Register.--The Commission shall establish and
28 maintain a register for all professional boxers licensed in
29 Pennsylvania. The register shall include a photograph of the
30 boxer. In the register, the Commission shall record the results
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1 of each boxing contest or exhibition the boxer is involved in,
2 including technical knockouts, knockouts and other boxing
3 related injuries, as well as the dates of each contest or
4 exhibition and the record of wins and losses.
5 Section 204.3. Medical Equipment.--No professional or
6 amateur boxing event shall be started unless there is on the
7 premises:
8 (1) an ambulance, together with emergency equipment; and
9 (2) a portable resuscitator with oxygen and appropriate
10 endotracheal tubes, and a qualified operator.
11 Section 204.4. Suspension.--For sound medical reasons and to
12 protect the individual boxers, the Commission shall establish
13 mandatory license suspensions of those persons who sustain
14 certain injuries. The Commission may suspend a boxer's license
15 for up to sixty (60) days for a laceration of the face, up to
16 thirty (30) days for a technical knockout with minor injuries
17 and up to forty-five (45) days for head injuries. Boxers
18 receiving a knockout may receive up to a ninety (90) day
19 suspension and shall receive an EEG within twenty-four (24)
20 hours of the knockout.
21 Section 4 6. Sections 208 and 210 of the act, amended May <--
22 24, 1956 (1955 P.L.1693, No.574), are amended to read:
23 Section 208. Gloves.--[When the boxers are [lightweights, as <--
24 defined in the regulations, or in a lighter class,] one hundred <--
25 thirty-five (135) pounds or under, they shall wear boxing gloves
26 weighing not less than five (5) ounces each. When the boxers are <--
27 over one hundred thirty-five (135) pounds but do not exceed one
28 hundred sixty (160) pounds, they shall wear boxing gloves
29 weighing not less than six (6) ounces each. When the boxers are
30 [in a heavier class than lightweights,] over one hundred sixty <--
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1 (160) pounds, they shall wear boxing gloves weighing not less
2 than [six (6)] ten (10) ounces each.] THE TYPE, SIZE AND WEIGHT <--
3 OF GLOVES ARE TO BE REGULATED BY THE STATE ATHLETIC COMMISSION.
4 Section 210. Attendance of Referee and Judges; Scoring.--At
5 each professional boxing contest or exhibition, except an
6 exhibition held solely for training purposes, there shall be in
7 attendance, at the expense of the promoter, a duly licensed
8 referee designated by the Commission who shall direct and
9 control the contest or exhibition.
10 There shall also be in attendance at every boxing contest, at
11 the expense of the promoter, [two (2)] three (3) licensed
12 judges, each of whom shall[, together with the referee,] render
13 his individual decision, in writing, on a scorecard supplied by
14 the Commission at the end of every boxing contest which
15 continues for the scheduled number of rounds. Each judge [and
16 the referee] shall have one (1) vote and a majority of the votes
17 cast shall determine the winner.
18 The Commission shall by rule or regulation prescribe the
19 methods of scoring.
20 Section 5 7. The act is amended by adding a section to read: <--
21 Section 223. Prohibited Competition.--(a) A person commits
22 a misdemeanor of the first degree if he promotes, sponsors or
23 participates in any manner in the staging of, or the conduct of,
24 any tough guy contest or battle of the brawlers or in any
25 similar competition.
26 (b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the
27 news media, including but not limited to television, radio,
28 newspapers and periodicals, for their reporting or advertising <--
29 activities relating to tough guy contests or battle of the
30 brawlers.
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1 (c) As used in this section the phrase "tough guy contest"
2 or "battle of the brawlers" means any competition which involves
3 any physical contact bout between two or more individuals, who
4 attempt to knock out their opponent by employing boxing,
5 wrestling, martial arts tactics or any combination thereof and
6 by using techniques including, but not limited to, punches,
7 kicks and choking. These phrases shall not apply to amateur or
8 professional contests sanctioned by the Pennsylvania Athletic
9 Commission nor to contests staged in connection with athletic
10 training programs nor to amateur or professional contests of the
11 martial arts nor to any collegiate or scholastic boxing,
12 wrestling or martial arts contests.
13 Section 6 8. Section 250 of the act, added May 24, 1956 <--
14 (1955 P.L.1693, No.574), is amended to read:
15 Section 250. Mandatory Eight Count.--Whenever a boxer is
16 knocked down, he shall be required to take a count of eight,
17 even if he has regained his feet prior thereto, and the referee
18 shall not permit the contest or exhibition to be resumed until
19 the count of eight has actually been reached, except in
20 professional championship boxing contests and exhibitions. A
21 referee may give a standing eight count in those instances where
22 he deems necessary.
23 Section 7 9. This act shall take effect in 60 days. <--
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