Senate Bill No. 63

(By Senator Barnes)

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[Introduced January 13, 2010; 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.

§29-5A-3a is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.