Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Commerce & Labor Committee

SB 6264

Brief Description:  Allowing a chiropractor to be a licensed official at a boxing, kickboxing, or martial arts event.

Sponsors:  Senators Prentice and Kline.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Authorizes the Department of Licensing to include chiropractors as licensed officials during boxing, kickboxing, and martial arts events.

Hearing Date:  2/21/02

Staff:  Sydney Forrester (786‑7120).

Background:

The Department of Licensing regulates boxing, kickboxing, and martial arts events.  A physician must examine event contestants within 24 hours prior to an event, and an event physician must be present throughout the event.  The event physician attends to contestants' medical needs during the event and has both the authority and a duty to stop an event if a contestant is in danger.  The event promoter must pay the physician's fee.  In addition to the event physician, a chiropractor may treat a contestant during an event, but the contestant must pay the chiropractor's fee.  Chiropractors currently are not licensed as event officials for boxing, kickboxing, and martial arts events.  Event promoters may exclude from locker rooms persons who are not licensed for the event, including a chiropractor.

Summary of Bill:

The department may include a chiropractor as a licensed official at boxing, kickboxing, and martial arts events.  Only a chiropractor licensed as an event official by the department may provide services at a boxing, kickboxing, or martial arts event.

Rules Authority:  This bill does not contain provisions addressing the rule-making powers of an agency.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  The bill takes effect on January 1, 2003.