STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2672

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2170

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 2170 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMBAT SPORTS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Combat Sports Commission of Hawaii;

(2) Provide for the regulation of combat sports;

(3) Prohibit no rules combat or similar contests; and

(4) Appropriate funds for the establishment and operation of the Combat Sports Commission of Hawaii and for an unspecified number of full-time equivalent positions within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the County of Hawaiʻi Office of the Mayor; Nokanet, LLC; and nine individuals.

Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Professional Vocational Licensing Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and one individual.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committees find that Hawaii has embraced full-contact combat sports, which incorporates techniques from boxing, wrestling, judo, jujitsu, karate, Muay Thai and others. In addition to producing multiple mixed martial arts world title fighters, both male and female, Hawaii has held major events at the Blaisdell Center Arena that have drawn capacity crowds. To continue growing the combat sports industry in the State and to attract events staged by the Ultimate Fighting Championship and other prestigious organizations, this measure, as currently drafted, would establish the Combat Sports Commission of Hawaii.

Notwithstanding, your Committees have heard the concerns raised in testimony as to the legal and administrative challenges that would accompany the implementation of the Combat Sports Commission of Hawaii, as currently proposed in this measure. As an alternative, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs requested your Committees to consider combining the regulation of mixed martial arts and boxing under a single commission. Therefore, amendments to this measure are necessary to address these issues.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting its contents and inserting provisions that:

(A) Establish a new regulatory framework for combat sports contests in Hawaii by renaming the existing Boxing Commission of Hawaii as the Combat Sports Commission of Hawaii;

(B) Expand the Commission's jurisdiction to include all combat sports; and

(C) Repeal the existing law governing mixed martial arts contests in Hawaii;

(2) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose; and

(3) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2040, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2170, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2170, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

________________________________ LYNN DECOITE, Chair

________________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair