Senate Bill No. 683
(By Senator Barnes)
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[Introduced March 23, 2009; referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary.]
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A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §29-5A-3a, relating
to authorizing mixed martial arts competitions; and
authorizing the State Athletic Commission to propose rules.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended
by adding thereto a new section, designated §29-5A-3a, to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 5A. STATE ATHLETIC COMMISSION.
§29-5A-3a. Mixed martial arts competitions.
Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary,
mixed martial arts competitions or mixed martial arts tournaments
are authorized and lawful. "Mixed martial arts" means a full
contact combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting
techniques, from a mixture of martial arts traditions and nontraditions.
The State Athletic Commission shall propose rules for
legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of article
three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code. Such rules shall be in
accordance to accepted practice utilizing the rules adopted by the
New Jersey State Athletic Control Board, Mixed Martial Arts unified
Rules of Conduct.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to authorize mixed martial
arts competitions. The State Athletic Commission has rule-making
authority.
This section
is new; therefore, strike-throughs and
underscoring have been omitted.