By: Alvarado  S.B. No. 1181          (In the Senate - Filed February 7, 2025; February 28, 2025,   read first time and referred to Committee on Business & Commerce;   April 22, 2025, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 11,   Nays 0; April 22, 2025, sent to printer.)Click here to see the committee vote     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT     relating to the regulation of combative sports by the Texas   Department of Licensing and Regulation; creating a criminal   offense.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 2052.110, Occupations Code, is amended   to read as follows:          Sec. 2052.110.  LICENSE AND BONDING EXCEPTIONS.  If the   contestants are amateurs, the licensing and bonding requirements of   this chapter do not apply to:                (1)  an event conducted by a college, school, or   university that is part of the institution's athletic program in   which only students of educational institutions participate;                (2)  an event [which is] conducted by a troop, battery,   company, or unit of the Texas National Guard or a law enforcement   agency [and] in which only members of military or law enforcement   organizations participate; or                (3)  an event [which is] conducted by:                      (A)  a member [an] organization or recognized   sports organization of the United States Olympic & [Games, the]   Paralympic Committee; or                      (B)  an international sports federation or   recognized federation of the International Olympic Committee   [Games, or the Pan-American Games and in which participants train   or compete for advancement to or within the games].          SECTION 2.  Section 2052.115, Occupations Code, is amended   to read as follows:          Sec. 2052.115.  PROMOTER RESPONSIBILITIES.  For each   promoted event, a promoter shall:                (1)  before holding the event, obtain department   approval in the form and manner required by the department;                (2)  ensure [assure that] all contestants   participating in the event satisfy the eligibility requirements for   licensure [scheduled to participate are licensed before the event];                (3) [(2)]  provide [that] an ambulance, serviced by at   least two emergency medical technicians, [is present] on the   premises where the event is held;                (4) [(3)]  provide for a physical examination of each   contestant that complies with rules adopted under this chapter; and                (5) [(4)]  comply with all commission rules.          SECTION 3.  Section 2052.254, Occupations Code, is amended   to read as follows:          Sec. 2052.254.  ELIMINATION TOURNAMENTS. Except as   authorized by commission rule, an  [An] elimination tournament may   not be conducted in this state.          SECTION 4.  Subchapter G, Chapter 2052, Occupations Code, is   amended by adding Section 2052.301 to read as follows:          Sec. 2052.301.  UNAUTHORIZED EVENT; CRIMINAL OFFENSE.  (a)     A person commits an offense if the person knowingly acts as a   promoter of an event the department has not approved as required by   Section 2052.115.          (b)  An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.          SECTION 5.  Section 2052.3015, Occupations Code, is   repealed.          SECTION 6.  (a) The change in law made by this Act does not   affect the validity of a proceeding pending before a court or other   governmental entity on the effective date of this Act.          (b)  The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation shall   prescribe the form and manner of approval required by Section   2052.115, Occupations Code, as amended by this Act. The Texas   Commission of Licensing and Regulation may adopt any rules   necessary to implement the changes in law made by this Act.          (c)  An offense or other violation of law committed before   the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when   the offense or violation was committed, and the former law is   continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this   subsection, an offense or violation was committed before the   effective date of this Act if any element of the offense or   violation occurred before that date.          SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2025.     * * * * *