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| LEGISLATION TO REGULATE PRO WRESTLING INTRODUCED
February 7, 2008 A bill that would revamp the section of the Georgia code related to pro wrestling was introduced in the Georgia Senate on Wednesday. The legislative action comes only days before the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission meets to reconsider the new rules they proposed in November, which resulted in a firestorm of protest from independent wrestling promoters across the state. Senate Bill 413, sponsored by Eric Johnson, President Pro Tem of the Senate, strikes the provision in the current law that exempts World Wrestling Entertainment from regulation. Johnson had previously announced his intention to introduce legislation that would expand the powers of the GAEC. SB 413 would make many of the controversial provisions in the regulations proposed by the GAEC part of the Georgia code. During a December GAEC public hearing on the matter, Bill Behrens, speaking on behalf of Georgia’s wrestling promoters, argued that the regulations exceeded the scope of the law. SB 413 would give the GAEC full legal authority to impose regulations including the following: • A commission approved physician at ringside for every show at the promoter’s expense. • An ambulance available on site throughout the show. • A 5% tax on gate receipts. • $1,000 licensure fee for all promoters. • Up to $1,000 permit fee per show. • A commission appointed inspector at every wrestling show. • Medical clearance by the physician for all wrestlers. • Mandatory drug tests if the physician suspects that a wrestler is under the influence. • A requirement of a $50,000 surety bond for all promoters. The bill makes no distinction between boxing, MMA or wrestling regarding any of the above regulations, yet defines professional wrestling as “a performance of wrestling skills and techniques performed by two or more professional wrestlers to which admission any admission is charged. Participating wrestlers may not be required to use their best efforts in order to win; the winner may have been selected before the performance commences; and contestants compete for valuable considerations.” The detailed and widely criticized provisions in the proposed GAEC regulations regarding the conduct of pro wrestling matches and wrestler’s attire are disallowed in SB 413. In December, before the GAEC tabled a vote on the proposed regulations for 60 days, WWE Attorney Jerry McDevitt stated, “If those regulations are applied to us, we won’t do Georgia.” WWE accounted for almost $2 million in tax revenue for Georgia from its shows during 2007, according to records released by the company. At the December GAEC meeting, it was agreed that the Georgia independent wrestling promoters would form an advisory panel (GWPAC) to provide input to the Commission. According to Behrens, who is heading up the advisory panel, “There has been no ‘give-and-take” at all.” Behrens met with Commission Chairman, J. J. Biello and Executive Secretary Kelly Farr several weeks ago and presented them with a list of 12 proposed rules. Among the items in the GWPAC rules were registration by all promoters, licensure of all wrestlers with a minimum age of 18, security and ring barricades at all events, clean ring mats, suspension of wrestlers for performing while impaired, and a ban on the use of anabolic steroids. Behrens indicated that he got no response from Biello and Farr at the meeting. Behrens followed up with a letter stating GWPAC’s intention to be in attendance at the February 12 GAEC meeting in the hopes of hearing what consideration the Commission has given to the rules submitted by GWPAC. We will have a report on outcome the February 12 meeting. Behrens will address this issue in greater detail on the February 16 episode of Peach State Pandemonium. |