The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 26: Professions and Occupations

Chapter 109: Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts

• Subchapter 001: Boxing

• § 6001. Definitions

  As used in this subchapter:

  (1) “Boxer” means an individual who participates in a boxing match.

  (2) “Boxing match” or “match” means a contest or training exhibition for a prize or purse where an admission fee is charged and where individuals score points by striking the head and upper torso of an opponent with padded fists. An amateur match is a match held under the supervision of a school, college, or university; under the supervision of United States Amateur Boxing, Inc. or its successor as the nationally designated governing body for amateur boxing; or, for any other amateur match, under the supervision of a nationally designated governing body. All other matches shall be considered professional matches.

  (3) “Director” means the Director of the Office of Professional Regulation.

  (4) “Disciplinary action” includes any action by the administrative law officer appointed under 3 V.S.A. § 129, premised upon a finding of wrongdoing. It includes all sanctions of any kind, including denying, suspending, or revoking a registration and issuing warnings.

  (5) “Health care provider” means a health care practitioner licensed in Vermont who is permitted under the practitioner’s statutory or regulatory scope of practice to conduct the types of examinations set forth in this subchapter.

  (6) “Manager” means a person who receives compensation for service as an agent or representative of a professional boxer.

  (7) “National Boxer Registry” means an entity certified by the Association of Boxing Commissions for the purpose of maintaining records for the identification of professional boxers and for tracking their records and suspensions.

  (8) “Participant” means managers, seconds, referees, and judges in a professional boxing match.

  (9) “Promoter” means a person that organizes, holds, advertises, or otherwise conducts a professional boxing match. (Added 1999, No. 133 (Adj. Sess.), § 37, eff. Jan. 1, 2001; amended 2011, No. 116 (Adj. Sess.), § 65; 2021, No. 69, §§ 15a, 16(b) (redesignated from 31 V.S.A. § 1101).)

• § 6002. Director; powers; duties

  (a) The Director shall have jurisdiction over professional boxing matches. The Director’s power to supervise professional boxing matches includes the power to suspend a match immediately if there is a serious and immediate danger to the public, boxers, promoters, or participants.

  (b)(1) Except as provided in this subsection, the Director shall not have jurisdiction over amateur boxing matches. Amateur boxing matches shall be conducted according to the rules of United States Amateur Boxing, Inc., the national governing body for amateur boxing of the U.S. Olympic Committee or its successor as the nationally designated governing body for amateur boxing. However, upon a finding that the health and safety of the boxers and participants in an amateur match are not being sufficiently safeguarded, the Director shall assume jurisdiction over and supervisory responsibility for the match. The Director’s decision may be appealed to the administrative law officer appointed under 3 V.S.A. § 129 within 10 days of the date the finding is issued. If the Director assumes jurisdiction under this subsection, the match shall continue to be conducted in accordance with the rules of United States Amateur Boxing, Inc.

  (2) For the purposes of this subsection, an “amateur boxing match” means a match held under the supervision of a school, college, or university or under the supervision of United States Amateur Boxing, Inc. or its successor as the nationally designated governing body for amateur boxing.

  (c) The Director shall:

  (1) provide information to applicants for registration;

  (2) administer fees collected under this subchapter;

  (3) explain appeal procedures to registrants and applicants and complaint procedures to the public;

  (4) receive applications for registration, grant registration under this subchapter, renew registrations, and deny, revoke, suspend, reinstate, or condition registrations as directed by an administrative law officer;

  (5) refer all complaints and disciplinary matters to an administrative law officer appointed under 3 V.S.A. § 129.

  (d) The Director may adopt rules necessary to perform his or her duties under this subchapter. The uniform rules of the Association of Boxing Commissions as adopted on June 6, 1998, and as amended from time to time, shall apply to professional boxing matches conducted under this subchapter to the extent those rules address matters not covered by rules adopted by the Director. (Added 1999, No. 133 (Adj. Sess.), § 37, eff. Jan. 1, 2001; amended 2011, No. 116 (Adj. Sess.), § 66; 2021, No. 69, § 16(b) (redesignated from 31 V.S.A. § 1102).)

• § 6003. Advisor appointees

  (a) The Secretary of State shall appoint two persons to serve as advisors in matters related to boxing. One advisor shall be a person with at least three years’ experience with boxing, and one shall be a medical doctor. The advisor appointees shall be appointed for staggered five-year terms and shall serve at the pleasure of the Secretary.

  (b) The Director shall seek the advice of the advisors appointed under this section in carrying out the provisions of this subchapter. The advisors shall be entitled to compensation and necessary expenses in the amount provided in 32 V.S.A. § 1010 for attendance at any meeting called by the Director for this purpose.

  (c) For purposes of the federal Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1995, as amended, the Director and the advisor appointees shall be deemed to be the Vermont State Boxing Commission. (Added 1999, No. 133 (Adj. Sess.), § 37, eff. Jan. 1, 2001; amended 2021, No. 69, § 16(b) (redesignated from 31 V.S.A. § 1103).)

• § 6004. Professional boxer registration; match registration

  (a) In order to participate in a professional boxing match in this State, a boxer shall possess an identification card issued by the National Boxer Registry.

  (b) A professional boxer who is a resident of this State or a resident of another state or country without a boxing commission may obtain a National Boxer Registry identification card by registering with the Office of Professional Regulation. The registration application shall be in the form prescribed by the Director and shall include any information required by the Director in order to verify the applicant’s identity. The application shall be accompanied by the required fee.

  (c) The Director shall issue a photo identification card to each boxer registered under this section. The card shall contain the personal identification number assigned to that boxer by the National Boxer Registry. Registrations may be renewed every two years upon payment of the required fee.

  (d) Before each professional boxing match and no later than the weigh-in, each boxer shall present the photo identification card issued under this section to the Director’s agent, who shall verify the identification card and check it against the records of the National Boxer Registry before a boxer shall be allowed to participate in the match. A boxer who fails to present a valid identification card shall not be allowed to participate in the match.

  (e) The Director shall establish procedures for evaluating the records of professional boxers and, when appropriate, for denying authorization to participate in a match.

  (f) A boxer shall not be allowed to participate in a professional match if the boxer is under suspension in another state. (Added 1999, No. 133 (Adj. Sess.), § 37, eff. Jan. 1, 2001; amended 2021, No. 69, § 16(b) (redesignated from 31 V.S.A. § 1104).)

• § 6005. Promoters; registration; bond requirement

  (a) A person shall not act as a promoter in this State unless he or she is registered with the Office of Professional Regulation. The application shall be made on forms provided by the Director and shall be filed at least 14 days prior to the date of the intended professional boxing match.

  (b) Each application shall be accompanied by a surety or cash bond in the amount of $5,000.00, payable to the State of Vermont, together with proof of medical insurance covering the boxers for injuries sustained during the match. The bond or surety shall be conditioned upon the faithful performance by the promoter of the provisions of this subchapter, the fulfillment of the promoter’s contractual obligations with the boxers and participants, and subject to the payment of any fees or penalties imposed by this subchapter.

  (c) Each application shall contain a list of the boxers and participants, along with each boxer’s personal identification number assigned by the National Boxer Registry. (Added 1999, No. 133 (Adj. Sess.), § 37, eff. Jan. 1, 2001; amended 2021, No. 69, § 16(b) (redesignated from 31 V.S.A. § 1105).)

• § 6006. Participants; registration

  A person shall not act as a participant in this State unless he or she is registered with the Office of Professional Regulation. The application shall be made on forms provided by the Director and shall be filed at least 14 days prior to the date the applicant first intends to act as a participant in this State. Registrations may be renewed every two years upon payment of the required fee. (Added 1999, No. 133 (Adj. Sess.), § 37, eff. Jan. 1, 2001; amended 2021, No. 69, § 16(b) (redesignated from 31 V.S.A. § 1106).)

• § 6007. Matches; medical suspensions

  Medical suspensions of professional boxers shall be determined by following the guidelines issued by the Association of Boxing Commissions as adopted and as may be amended from time to time. A boxer may be suspended for a recent knockout, a series of losses, a required medical procedure, a health care provider’s denial of certification, the failure of a drug test, or for other reasons outlined in this subchapter or rules adopted under this subchapter. (Added 1999, No. 133 (Adj. Sess.), § 37, eff. Jan. 1, 2001; amended 2011, No. 116 (Adj. Sess.), § 67; 2021, No. 69, § 16(b) (redesignated from 31 V.S.A. § 1107).)

• § 6008. Matches; special provisions

  (a) The Director shall designate one or more individuals who shall act as boxing inspectors for professional boxing matches and, at the discretion of the Director, at amateur boxing matches to ensure that boxing laws and rules are strictly observed. Boxing inspectors shall have all the powers of the Director with regard to regulation of a match. Inspectors shall have free access to the dressing rooms of the boxers and shall be present at the weigh-in.

  (b) Before a professional match, the promoter shall ensure that each boxer is examined by a health care provider for the purpose of certifying that the boxer is physically fit to compete safely. Copies of the health care provider’s certificate shall be filed with the Director prior to the match. In addition, at any time prior to a professional match, the Director may require that a boxer undergo a physical examination, which may include neurological tests and procedures.

  (c) A health care provider approved by the Director must be continuously present at ringside during every professional boxing match to observe the physical condition of the boxers. The health care provider shall advise the referee on the condition of the boxers.

  (d) The promoter shall ensure that an ambulance and medical personnel, with appropriate resuscitation equipment, are continuously present at the site during a professional boxing match.

  (e) A person under the age of 18 shall not participate in any professional match, as that term is described in subdivision 6001(2) of this subchapter. (Added 1999, No. 133 (Adj. Sess.), § 37, eff. Jan. 1, 2001; amended 2011, No. 116 (Adj. Sess.), § 68; 2021, No. 69, § 16(b) (redesignated from 31 V.S.A. § 1108).)

• § 6009. Fees

  (a) Applicants and persons regulated by this subchapter shall be subject to the following fees:

  (1) Promoter registration $825.00

  (2) Boxer registration $30.00

  (3) Manager registration $30.00

  (4) Second registration $30.00

  (5) Referee registration $30.00

  (6) Judge registration $30.00

  (7) Biennial renewal for managers, seconds, referees, and judges $30.00

  (8) Biennial renewal for professional boxer $35.00

  (9) Biennial renewal for professional promotor $45.00

  (b) If the Director exercises jurisdiction over an amateur match under section 6002 of this title, the person that organized, held, advertised, or otherwise conducted the match shall pay a fee of $500.00. (Added 1999, No. 133 (Adj. Sess.), § 37, eff. Jan. 1, 2001; amended 2021, No. 69, § 16(b) (redesignated from 31 V.S.A. § 1109); 2023, No. 77, § 15, eff. June 20, 2023.)

• § 6010. Reports to be filed; professional boxing

  (a) Within 24 hours of the conclusion of a professional match (excluding weekends or national holidays), the promoter or designee shall file a written report with the Director, on a form prescribed by the Director, indicating the specific result of each match and any problems encountered in the running of the event.

  (b) Within 48 hours of the conclusion of the professional match (excluding weekends or national holidays), the Director or designee shall report the results of the match to the National Boxer Registry or registries as designated by the Association of Boxing Commissions.

  (c) Within 48 hours of any final disciplinary action against a boxer, promoter, or manager (excluding weekends or national holidays), the Director or designee shall report any final disciplinary action taken against a promoter, boxer, or manager to the National Boxer Registry or registries as designated by the Association of Boxing Commissions. (Added 1999, No. 133 (Adj. Sess.), § 37, eff. Jan. 1, 2001; amended 2021, No. 69, § 16(b) (redesignated from 31 V.S.A. § 1110).)

• § 6011. Report to be filed; amateur boxing

  No more than seven days after the conclusion of an amateur boxing match, the United States Amateur Boxing, Inc. representative shall file a report with the Director certifying complete compliance with the rules of USA Boxing, summarizing the results of the event, and detailing any problems encountered during the event. (Added 1999, No. 133 (Adj. Sess.), § 37, eff. Jan. 1, 2001; amended 2021, No. 69, § 16(b) (redesignated from 31 V.S.A. § 1111).)

• § 6012. Grounds for disciplinary actions

  (a) An applicant or a registrant shall be subject to disciplinary action for the conduct listed in this section and in 3 V.S.A. § 129a:

  (1) A boxer, for fighting after failing a pre-fight physical examination.

  (2) A promoter:

  (A) for permitting a nonregistered boxer to participate in a match; or

  (B) for participating in a match or allowing a boxer or other participant to participate in a match while under suspension in another state or by another boxing regulatory organization.

  (3) A promoter, boxer, or participant, for violating any requirement of this subchapter or any rule adopted under this subchapter.

  (b) After hearing, and upon a finding of wrongdoing, the administrative law officer appointed under subsection 3 V.S.A. § 129(j) may take disciplinary action against a registrant or an applicant. (Added 1999, No. 133 (Adj. Sess.), § 37, eff. Jan. 1, 2001; amended 2021, No. 69, § 16(b) (redesignated from 31 V.S.A. § 1112).)

• § 6013. Tax on professional boxing contests

  Any person holding or conducting a professional boxing match shall notify the Director not less than five days in advance of the holding of the match, and after the match is concluded shall immediately pay to the Director a sum, designated as a gate tax, which shall be an amount equal to five percent of the gross receipts, exclusive of any federal tax thereon. Gate tax shall be deposited in the Professional Regulatory Fee Fund and used to carry out the provisions of this subchapter. Payments required by this section shall be accompanied by reports in the form required by the Director. All tickets of admission to a professional boxing match shall bear clearly the purchase price on the face of the ticket. (Added 1999, No. 133 (Adj. Sess.), § 37, eff. Jan. 1, 2001; amended 2021, No. 69, § 16(b) (redesignated from 31 V.S.A. § 1113).)

• Subchapter 002: Mixed Martial Arts

• § 6025. Definitions

  As used in this subchapter:

  (1) “Contestant” means an individual who competes in a mixed martial arts match, including an exhibition. “Contestant” includes both amateur and professional mixed martial arts competitors.

  (2) “Director” means the Director of the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation.

  (3) “Event” or “mixed martial arts event” means a mixed martial arts match or two or more mixed martial arts matches held at the same location on the same or consecutive dates.

  (4) “Exhibition” means an engagement in which the contestants show or display their skills without necessarily striving to win.

  (5) “Match” or “mixed martial arts match” means any occurrence in which a mixed martial arts contestant competes against another mixed martial arts contestant using mixed martial arts. “Match” or “mixed martial arts match” includes amateur matches and exhibitions.

  (6) “Mixed martial arts” means unarmed combat involving the use, subject to any applicable limits set forth in this subchapter and in any rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter, of a combination of techniques, including grappling, kicking, and striking, from different disciplines of martial arts. Mixed martial arts includes kickboxing, pankration, Muay Thai, and extreme martial arts. Mixed martial arts does not include boxing.

  (7) “Office” means the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation.

  (8) “Participant” means individuals who participate, directly or indirectly, in mixed martial arts matches, including managers, referees, match makers, seconds, corners, and judges. “Participant” does not include spectators and audience members.

  (9) “Promoter” means any person, club, corporation, or association and, in the case of a corporate promoter, includes any officer, director, employee, or stockholder thereof, who produces, arranges, or stages any mixed martial arts match. (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15.)

• § 6026. Jurisdiction of Office

  (a) The Office shall have and exercise sole discretion, management, control, and supervision over all mixed martial arts events taking place within the State. No mixed martial arts event shall take place within the State except in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter and the rules adopted by the Office.

  (b) Every license issued under this subchapter shall be subject to the rules adopted pursuant to this subchapter. (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15.)

• § 6027. Director; powers; duties

  (a) In addition to the powers and duties of the Director, as established in this subchapter and in 3 V.S.A. chapter 5, subchapter 3, the Director shall have the following powers and duties:

  (1) provide information to applicants for obtaining a license;

  (2) receive applications for licenses; grant licenses to applicants qualified under this subchapter and in accordance with rules adopted pursuant to this subchapter; renew licenses; and deny, revoke, suspend, reinstate, or condition licenses as directed by an Administrative Law Officer;

  (3) administer the inspection of facilities where a mixed martial arts event is to be held and the records associated with the event;

  (4) administer fees collected under this subchapter;

  (5) collect taxes and bonds in accordance with this subchapter and any rules adopted pursuant this subchapter;

  (6) explain appeal procedures to licensees and applicants and complaint procedures to the public; and

  (7) refer all disciplinary matters to an Administrative Law Officer.

  (b) The Director, in consultation with the advisors appointed in accordance with this subchapter, shall adopt rules necessary to perform the Director’s duties under this subchapter and shall establish safety standards for the protection of contestants, participants, promoters, and the public. The rules adopted by the Director in accordance with this subchapter shall, at a minimum, include the following:

  (1) rules for the conduct and holding of amateur and professional mixed martial arts events;

  (2) requirements and qualifications to be eligible for licenses for anyone involved, indirectly or directly, in a mixed martial arts event, including promoters, contestants, and participants, and to be eligible for event licenses;

  (3) requirements for the collection, retention, and remission of bonds provided by promoters as a condition of licensure or of an event permit;

  (4) requirements for promoter reports to the Office, including reports following a mixed martial arts event and for promoter payment of the event tax;

  (5) requirements for medical examinations of participants and contestants to be performed prior to licensure and renewal;

  (6) requirements for medical examinations of contestants and participants before, during, and after mixed martial arts matches or events;

  (7) exemptions for certain mixed martial arts events;

  (8) requirements for the inspection of facilities where a mixed martial arts event is to be held and of associated records; and

  (9) all other requirements necessary for the safe conduct of mixed martial arts matches and events. (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15.)

• § 6028. Advisors

  (a) The Secretary of State shall appoint two individuals to serve as advisors in matters related to mixed martial arts regulation. Both advisors shall be an individual with at least three years’ experience in mixed martial arts as a promoter, participant, or contestant. The advisor appointees shall be appointed for staggered five-year terms and shall serve at the pleasure of the Secretary.

  (b) The Director shall seek the advice of the advisors appointed under this section in carrying out the provisions of this subchapter. The advisors shall be entitled to compensation and necessary expenses in the amount provided in 32 V.S.A. § 1010 for attendance at any meeting called by the Director for this purpose. (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15.)

• § 6029. Amateur events; exemption for schools; exemptions

  (a) All amateur mixed martial arts events shall be regulated by the Office in accordance with this subchapter and rules adopted under this subchapter except for amateur mixed martial events conducted by a school, college, or university.

  (b) The Director may, by rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter, exempt from the application of these rules mixed martial arts events in which there is minimal or no contact between contestants, for which there is no remuneration for participation, and for which no tickets are sold or admission fees charged. (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15.)

• § 6030. Contestants; licensing; examination

  (a) Contestant license.

  (1) No individual shall participate as a contestant in a mixed martial arts event, which includes a sole match, in the State without first having obtained a license from the Office.

  (2) Every contestant licensed in accordance with this subchapter shall be subject to the rules adopted by the Director.

  (3) A fee may be assessed for a contestant license in accordance with section 6033 of this subchapter.

  (4) An individual who wants to be licensed under this subsection shall apply for a contestant license in the manner specified by the Director in rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter, accompanied by payment of the required fee.

  (5) Licenses shall be renewed every year on a date set by the Director in rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter. Licenses shall be subject to the provisions of this subchapter and to all rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter.

  (b) Medical examination; report.

  (1) Each contestant shall be examined by a physician, who is licensed under 26 V.S.A. chapter 23 or 26 V.S.A. chapter 33, at the time and in accordance with rules adopted by the Director in accordance with this subchapter.

  (2) No contestant shall be granted a license or permitted to renew a license without first submitting a report from a physician, who is licensed under 26 V.S.A. chapter 23 or 26 V.S.A. chapter 33 and who performed an examination in accordance with rules adopted under this subchapter, certifying the contestant is in appropriate physical condition to engage in a mixed martial arts event. Reports from an examining physician shall be submitted directly to the Office by the examining physician and shall contain such information as required by the Director in rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter. The examining physician shall provide an assessment in the report of the contestant’s physical condition to engage in a mixed martial arts match.

  (3) No contestant shall participate in a mixed martial arts match unless:

  (A) the contestant has been examined not more than twelve hours before the match by a physician licensed under 26 V.S.A. chapter 23 or 26 V.S.A. chapter 33 and who performed the medical examination in accordance with rules adopted under this subchapter; and

  (B) the physician who performed the examination certifies in writing to the referee of the match that the contestant is in appropriate physical condition to engage in a mixed martial arts match.

  (4) Fees for the pre-match examination shall be paid by the promoter of the match. In addition to providing the certification to the referee on the day of the event, the contestant shall submit the certification of the examining physician to the Office within 48 hours following the mixed martial arts match for which the physician provided the examination. (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15.)

• § 6031. Promoters

  (a) Promoter license.

  (1) No person shall hold or conduct a mixed martial arts event, which includes a sole match, in the State without first having obtained a license from the Office.

  (2) A person who wants to be licensed under this subsection shall apply for a promoter license in the manner specified by the Director in rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter, accompanied by payment of the required fee.

  (3) Licenses shall be renewed every two years on a date set by the Director in rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter. Licenses shall be subject to the provisions of this subchapter and to all rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter.

  (4) In addition to the bond required under this subchapter, a fee may be assessed for a promoter license in accordance with section 6033 of this subchapter.

  (5) Before any promoter license is granted or renewed, the applicant shall execute and file with the Office a bond to the State in the amount of $10,000.00, to be conditioned upon the faithful performance by the applicant of the provisions of this subchapter and the payment of the taxes imposed under this subchapter. The bond shall be in a form with sureties satisfactory to the Office. No promoter license shall be renewed unless this bond has been renewed and filed with the Board.

  (b) Event license.

  (1) No mixed martial arts event, including a sole match, shall be held by any promoter licensed under this subchapter unless the promoter has obtained from the Office an event license to hold the event at least two weeks prior to the first day of the event. The application to the Office for an event license shall be in such form, with such information, and at such place as the Office may, by rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter, prescribe.

  (2) A fee may be assessed for this match or event license in accordance with section 6033 of this subchapter. The Office may charge a separate event license fee for each day of an event.

  (3) No event license shall be granted to any promoter who is not licensed in the State; whose license is suspended, disciplined, or revoked in any state or jurisdiction; or who is delinquent in paying a tax that has been assessed pursuant to section 6039 of this subchapter.

  (4) No event license shall be granted until the Office performs an inspection of the facilities where the mixed martial arts event is to be held and of records associated with the event.

  (5) No event license shall be renewed. A separate event license shall be obtained for each event, including for a sole match. (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15.)

• § 6032. Participants

  (a) No individual shall participate, either directly or indirectly, as a participant in a mixed martial arts event, including a sole match, in the State without first having obtained a license from the Office.

  (b) A fee may be assessed for a participant license in accordance with section 6033 of this subchapter.

  (c) Every participant licensed in accordance with this subchapter shall be subject to the rules adopted by the Director.

  (1) An individual who wants to be licensed under this section shall apply for a participant license in the manner specified by the Director in rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter, accompanied by payment of the required fee.

  (2) Licenses shall be renewed every two years on a date set by the Director in rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter. Licensees shall be subject to the provisions of this subchapter and to all rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter. (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15.)

• § 6033. Fees

  Applicants and persons regulated by this subchapter shall be subject to the following fees:

  (1) Application:

  (A) Promoter license $545.00

  (B) Event license $275.00

  (C) Contestant license $30.00

  (D) Participant license $30.00

  (2) Biennial renewal for managers, seconds, referees, and judges $30.00

  (3) Biennial renewal for promoters $545.00

  (4) Annual renewal for contestants $30.00

  (5) Late fees set pursuant to 3 V.S.A. § 127(d)(1). (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15; amended 2023, No. 77, § 16, eff. June 20, 2023.)

• § 6034. Renewal

  (a) General provisions. A licensee shall apply to renew the license prior to the expiration of the current license. The Director shall send a reminder to licensees prior to the expiration of their licenses. The Office may charge, in addition to the license fee, a late fee to licensees who do not apply to renew a license until after the license is expired.

  (b) Renewal deadlines.

  (1) Licenses for participants and promoters shall be renewed every two years upon payment of the required fees and in accordance with rules adopted under this subchapter.

  (2) Licenses for contestants shall be renewed every year upon payment of the required fees and in accordance with rules adopted under this subchapter. (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15.)

• § 6035. Medical insurance

  (a) Promoters licensed in accordance with this subchapter shall carry medical insurance covering all contestants who participate in an event, including a sole match, conducted by the promoter.

  (b) The cost of the medical insurance, including deductibles and premiums, shall be borne by the promoter.

  (c) The promoter shall obtain medical insurance coverage in an amount to be determined by the Director in rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter that shall cover the expenses for the treatment of any injuries the contestant may suffer as a result of a mixed martial arts event.

  (d) The medical insurance coverage shall extend for at least six months following the date of the mixed martial arts event.

  (e) No mixed martial arts event shall be approved in the State unless the promoter is in full compliance with the requirements of this section concerning medical insurance coverage. (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15.)

• § 6036. Medical exam

  The Director shall adopt rules for medical examination of contestants and participants, as needed, including examinations before, during, and after a match or event and as a condition of licensure under this subchapter. (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15.)

• § 6037. Referees

  (a) No mixed martial arts event, including a sole match, shall take place in Vermont without a referee present and overseeing the event in accordance with rules adopted under this subchapter.

  (b) The sole arbiter in the ring in a mixed martial arts match shall be the referee, licensed as a participant in Vermont, who shall govern the match in accordance with the rules adopted by the Director under this subchapter. The referee shall have full power to stop the match whenever the referee deems it advisable because of the physical condition of a contestant, when one of the contestants is clearly outclassed by an opponent, or for other reasonable cause. (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15.)

• § 6038. Medical assistance at events

  (a) Physician. Every promoter shall have in attendance at every mixed martial arts match at least one physician who is licensed under 26 V.S.A. chapter 23 or 26 V.S.A. chapter 33. The physician shall perform medical examinations of the contestants not more than twelve hours before the beginning of the match and shall certify in writing to the referee whether or not the contestant is in appropriate physical condition to engage in a mixed martial arts match.

  (b) Ambulance. Every promoter shall have at every mixed martial arts match an ambulance containing the standard medical equipment necessary to treat cerebral injuries. If the ambulance leaves an event, no other mixed martial arts match may commence or resume until the ambulance returns. The promoter shall stop or delay a match until an ambulance is present.

  (c) Upon the recommendation of the physician present during a mixed martial arts event, a contestant shall be required to undergo an ophthalmological and neurological examination after each match in accordance with rules adopted under this subchapter.

  (1) The cost of such an examination shall be borne by the promoter of the event.

  (2) The physician shall provide a certified writing of the examination findings to the referee and the contestant.

  (3) Within 48 hours after receiving the examination, the contestant shall submit the physician’s certified writing to the Office.

  (4) If the physician, after an examination in accordance with this section and rules adopted under this subchapter, certifies that the contestant is not in a physical condition to engage in a mixed martial arts match, the contestant shall not be permitted to engage in another match until a subsequent examination is conducted in accordance with rules adopted under this subchapter and a physician certifies that the contestant is in an appropriate physical condition to engage in a mixed martial arts match. The physician providing the subsequent examination does not need to be the same physician who provided the examination at the mixed martial arts match. (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15.)

• § 6039. Tax; post-event report by promoter

  (a) Every promoter shall, not later than seven days after the conclusion of a mixed martial arts event, submit a post-event report to the Office in accordance with rules adopted pursuant to this subchapter. The report shall include the exact number of tickets to the event sold, the amount of gross and net receipts from the event, and any other facts as the Director may by rule require. The promoter shall report on tickets sold to an entire event not to an individual match within an event.

  (b) Every promoter shall, not later than seven days after the conclusion of a mixed martial arts event, pay to the Office by certified check a tax of five percent of the receipts from tickets, admission fees, and sponsorships after all costs from the event and any other State and federal taxes thereon have been paid. The promoter shall pay the tax on the receipts from the entire event. This tax shall be deposited in the Professional Regulation Fee Fund and used to carry out the provisions of this subchapter.

  (c) If the report required under this section and the accompanying tax are not paid within the seven days required, the Office may examine, or cause to be examined, the books and records of the promoter and any corporation on behalf of which the promoter held the event. (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15.)

• § 6040. Unprofessional conduct

  (a) All persons. All persons licensed under this subchapter are subject to 3 V.S.A. chapter 5, subchapter 3, including the unprofessional conduct items established under 3 V.S.A. § 129a.

  (b) Contestants. In addition to the items set forth in 3 V.S.A. § 129a, it shall be unprofessional conduct for a contestant to do any of the following:

  (1) engage in a mixed martial arts match after a physician, licensed under 26 V.S.A. chapter 23 or 26 V.S.A. chapter 33, certifies, following an annual examination or an examination before, during, or within seven days after a match and carried out in accordance with this subchapter and rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter, that the contestant is not in a physical condition to engage in a mixed martial arts match;

  (2) engage in a mixed martial arts match when suspended or prohibited from competing in a mixed martial arts match by any entity that regulates mixed martial arts;

  (3) engage in a mixed martial arts match when the contestant’s license to engage in mixed martial arts, as a contestant, promoter, or participant, is suspended in any other state or jurisdiction;

  (4) engage in a mixed martial arts match less than 30 days after competing as a contestant in another mixed martial arts match;

  (5) engage in a mixed martial arts match less than 60 days after having been knocked out in a mixed martial arts match or less than 30 days after having been technically knocked out in a mixed martial arts match; or

  (6) any other activity as established by the Director in rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter.

  (c) Promoters. In addition to the items set forth in 3 V.S.A. § 129a, it shall be unprofessional conduct for a promoter to do any of the following:

  (1) fail to submit a required report or information to the Office within the time period and with the information, taxes, and fees required under this subchapter and in accordance with rules adopted pursuant to this subchapter;

  (2) directly or indirectly have any financial interest in an individual competing in a mixed martial arts match arranged by the promoter;

  (3) engage a contestant who is suspended or prohibited from competing in mixed martial arts matches by any state or jurisdiction to compete in a match held by the promoter;

  (4) conduct a mixed martial arts match with no ambulance present;

  (5) conduct a mixed martial arts match with no physician present;

  (6) conduct a mixed martial arts match without a referee present; or

  (7) any other activity as established by the Director in rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter.

  (d) Participants. In addition to the items set forth in 3 V.S.A. § 129a, it shall be unprofessional conduct for a participant to do any of the following:

  (1) for a referee, to unreasonably fail to comply with the rules adopted by the Director in accordance with this subchapter for the conduct of a mixed martial arts match;

  (2) for a referee, match-maker, or judge, to directly or indirectly have any financial interest in an individual competing in a mixed martial arts match at which the referee, match-maker, or judge is acting as a judge, match-maker, or referee; or

  (3) any other activity as established by the Director in rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter. (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15.)

• § 6041. Inspections

  The Director or designee may inspect facilities, including the ring, where a mixed martial arts match is to be held, before or during any match or event, and the records required for each licensee and the event or match in accordance with this subchapter and rules adopted pursuant to this subchapter. The Director or designee may suspend an event license immediately for failure to comply with this subchapter or with any rules adopted in accordance with this subchapter. (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15.)

• § 6042. Age

  No individual under 18 years of age shall engage in a mixed martial arts event, including a sole match, in which money, a prize or purse, or other form of monetary compensation is offered or given to any contestant. (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15.)

• § 6043. Injunction

  The Director may, in addition to other remedies available under law, bring an action in a court of this State to enjoin a person from continuing any violation of this subchapter or doing any acts in furtherance thereof and for any other relief that the court deems appropriate. (Added 2021, No. 69, § 15.)