Places a moratorium on professional boxing and licensing pending an investigation on the safety and health of boxers by a temporary taskforce; and appropriates $100,000 for expenses.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3021
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 22, 2009
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BENJAMIN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Tourism, Arts and Sports Development
AN ACT to impose a temporary moratorium on all professional boxing and
sparring pending a legislative taskforce investigation on the safety
of boxing; and making an appropriation therefor; and providing for the
repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature hereby finds that the
2 costs associated with brain injury and death directly and indirectly
3 caused during the sport of boxing or sparring requires evaluation and
4 study. In the past three years, six professional level boxers have died
5 from injuries sustained in the ring and several others have sustained
6 brain injuries.
7 Wherefore, the legislature finds that it is in the public interest to
8 suspend all professional boxing and sparring matches until a temporary
9 state taskforce conducts a study on the safety concerns of the public,
10 promoters and the participants and reports to the state athletic commis-
11 sion, the governor and the legislature with recommendations for improv-
12 ing the safety of the sport.
13 § 2. Temporary moratorium on professional boxing and sparring.
14 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, rule or regulation to the
15 contrary, there shall be a moratorium on the holding of any professional
16 boxing or sparring matches within the boundaries of New York state and
17 the issuance of any professional boxing and sparring licenses by the
18 state athletic commission pending the findings and recommendations of
19 the temporary taskforce on safety in boxing and sparring.
20 § 3. Temporary taskforce on safety in boxing and sparring. 1. There
21 shall be established within the state athletic commission a taskforce to
22 examine, evaluate and make recommendations regarding safety in the sport
23 of boxing and sparring. The taskforce shall consist of nine members
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05566-01-9
A. 3021 2
1 appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be a current representative
2 from the state athletic commission, and two of whom shall be retired
3 members of the state athletic commission; two members appointed on the
4 recommendation of the speaker of the assembly and one on the recommenda-
5 tion of the minority leader of the assembly; and two members appointed
6 upon the recommendation of the temporary president of the senate and one
7 upon the recommendation of the minority leader of the senate. At least
8 one of the appointees must be a licensed physician with a specialty in
9 sport medicine and at least one of the appointees must be an advocate of
10 safety in sports. The members of the taskforce shall receive no compen-
11 sation for their services, but shall be allowed their actual and neces-
12 sary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder.
13 2. The taskforce shall hold regional public hearings, well publicized
14 and accessible to the public, within one year of the effective date of
15 this act. The taskforce shall solicit testimony and documentation from
16 the medical and public health communities, athletic leagues and associ-
17 ations, business interests, advocates for and against the sport of
18 boxing, and individuals affected by death and injury caused by such
19 sport of boxing. To the extent feasible, the taskforce shall be entitled
20 to request and utilize any resources and data of any court, department,
21 division, board, bureau, commission or agency of the state or any poli-
22 tical subdivision thereof as it may reasonably request to carry out
23 properly its powers and duties.
24 3. The taskforce shall evaluate the data and finalize its findings,
25 conclusions and recommendations within eighteen months of the effective
26 date of this act. The taskforce's report shall include, but not be
27 limited to, recommendations for:
28 a. safety equipment used in professional boxing and sparring;
29 b. safety in the rules and procedures of professional boxing and spar-
30 ring; and
31 c. safety in the recruitment, training and promotion of boxing and
32 sparring as a sport.
33 Such report in its final form shall include legislative proposals and
34 shall be delivered to the governor, the speaker of the assembly and the
35 temporary president of the senate no later than two years after the
36 effective date of this act.
37 § 4. The sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), or so much
38 thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to pay the expenses
39 incurred, including personal service, in carrying out the provisions of
40 this act. Such moneys shall be payable out of the state treasury in the
41 general fund to the credit of the state purposes account after audit by
42 and on the warrant of the comptroller upon vouchers certified or
43 approved by the chairperson of the state athletic commission as
44 prescribed by law.
45 § 5. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
46 deemed repealed 2 years after such date.
