The amendment removed the opening procedural language and bill introduction materials, then simplified the Athletic Commission's powers by eliminating a requirement to establish boxing/kickboxing standards through formal rulemaking (chapter 1-26) and streamlining license-issuing authority to focus on core regulatory functions. This NARROWS the commission's explicit duties while maintaining its core licensing and oversight authority.
26.391.11 26.391.12 101st Legislative Session 64 2026 South Dakota Legislature Senate Bill 64 Introduced by: The Chair of the Committee on Commerce and Energy at the request of the South Dakota Athletic Commission Underscores indicate new language. Overstrikes indicate deleted language. ENROLLED AN ACT ENTITLED An Act to revise and repeal provisions related to the athletic commission. 1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA: 2 Section 1. That a NEW SECTION be added to chapter 42-12: 3 Terms used in this chapter mean: 4 (1) "Boxer," a participant in a boxing competition or sparring exhibition; 5 (2) "Boxing," a sport or practice of fighting with fists, in which participants wear boxing 6 gloves; 7 (3) "Commission," the South Dakota Athletic Commission; 8 (4) "Competition," any contest, event, fight, or match in which: 9 (a) The participants intend to and actually inflict blows, kicks, and punches, or 10 utilize other techniques to temporarily incapacitate an opponent with the 11 intent to win the contest, event, fight, or match; and 12 (b) The participants receive payment or renumeration, directly or indirectly, as 13 consideration for the participant's performance; 14 (5) "Department," the Department of Labor and Regulation; 15 (6) "Kickboxer," a participant in a kickboxing competition or sparring exhibition; 16 (7) "Kickboxing," a sport of attack and defense, in which participants wear boxing 17 gloves and throw punches, as in boxing, and kick with bare feet, as in karate; 18 (8) "Manager," any person who acts on behalf of a boxer, kickboxer, or mixed martial 19 artist to facilitate the arrangement, production, or staging of any competition or 20 sparring exhibition; 21 (9) "Matchmaker," any association, club, corporation, entity, or individual that brings 22 together a competition or sparring exhibition; 23 (10) "Mixed martial artist," a participant in a mixed martial arts competition or sparring 24 exhibition; 25 26.391.11 26.391.12 2 64 Underscores indicate new language. Overstrikes indicate deleted language. SB64 ENROLLED (11) "Mixed martial arts," a sport of fighting, in which participants inflict or employ 1 blows, holds, kicks, punches, and other techniques to choke, disable, incapacitate, 2 injure, or stun an opponent, using a combination of boxing, grappling, kickboxing, 3 wrestling, or other martial arts; 4 (12) "Official," a commission representative, inspector, judge, physician, referee, or 5 timekeeper serving in an assigned role for a competition or sparring exhibition; 6 (13) "Promoter," an association, club, corporation, entity, or individual who arranges, 7 produces, or stages any competition or sparring exhibition; 8 (14) "Second," an individual who attends to a contestant between rounds; and 9 (15) "Sparring exhibition," any contest, event, fight, or match in which: 10 (a) The participants intend to and actually inflict blows, kicks, and punches, or 11 utilize other techniques to temporarily incapacitate an opponent, with the 12 intent to display skills without striving to win; and 13 (b) The participants receive payment or renumeration, directly or indirectly, as 14 consideration for the participant's performance. 15 Section 2. That § 42-12-9 be AMENDED: 16 42-12-9. The commission is hereby vested with the sole direction, control, and 17 jurisdiction over all contests and exhibitions of boxing, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts 18 competitions and sparring exhibitions held in the State of South Dakota this state. The 19 commission shall regulate competitions and sparring exhibitions for the purposes of 20 compliance with applicable federal laws and regulations, event fairness, fair competition, 21 and safety of the participants and the public. No competition or sparring exhibition may 22 be conducted within this state, except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter or 23 any rule promulgated pursuant to this chapter. 24 Section 3. That § 42-12-9.1 be AMENDED: 25 42-12-9.1. The commission has the following powers and duties shall: 26 (1) Through rules established pursuant to chapter 1-26, establish standards for the 27 practice of boxing, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts; 28 (2) Issue licenses and registrations to persons, clubs, corporations, associations, any 29 association, club, corporation, individual or other entities person that meet meets 30 the qualifications for licensure or registration as a boxer, kickboxer, mixed martial 31 artist, manager, matchmaker, promoter, official, or second; 32 26.391.11 3 64 Underscores indicate new language. Overstrikes indicate deleted language. (3)(2) (2) Have available the names of persons associations, clubs, corporations, associations 1 individuals, or and other entities persons registered or licensed pursuant to the 2 provisions of this chapter; 26.391.12 3 (4)(3) 64 SB64 ENROLLED (3) Have available to the public the date, time, and location of any competition or 4 sparring exhibition registered pursuant to the provisions of this chapter; 5 (5)(4) (4) Employ personnel in accordance with the needs and budget of the commission; 6 (6)(5) (5) Enter into contracts, as necessary to carry out the commission's responsibilities 7 pursuant to the provisions of this chapter; 8 (7)(6) (6) Communicate disciplinary actions and registration and license status of boxers, 9 kickboxers, mixed martial artists, managers, matchmakers, promoters, and 10 matchmakers officials, and seconds to the relevant state and federal governing 11 bodies, as may be required; and 12 (8)(7) (7) Perform other duties directly related to the provisions of this chapter or rules 13 promulgated pursuant to chapter 1-26; 14 chapter; (8) Maintain and verify the results of bouts in competitions and sparring exhibitions; 15 and 16 (9) Report the results of bouts in competitions and sparring exhibitions to the relevant 17 state and federal governing bodies as required. 18 Section 4. That § 42-12-10 be AMENDED: 19 42-12-10. The commission shall promulgate rules, pursuant to chapter 1-26, to: 20 (1) Govern Establish the requirements for and govern the conduct of boxing, 21 kickboxing, and mixed martial arts competitions, competitions and sparring exhibitions; 22 (2) Establish registration criteria and registration fees for all boxers, kickboxers, and 23 mixed martial artists, officials, and seconds, who participate in competitions and 24 sparring exhibitions governed by the commission; 25 (3) Establish license criteria and license fees for all promoters, managers, and 26 matchmakers, and promoters of boxing, kickboxing, or and mixed martial arts 27 competitions and sparring exhibitions held in this state; 28 (4) Establish registration requirements for all boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts 29 competitions or and sparring exhibitions held in the this state; 30 (5) Establish the and maintain written records to be maintained for all competitions 31 and sparring exhibitions conducted in the this state; 32 (6) Establish a fee based on the percentage of gross revenues from any boxing, 33 kickboxing, or mixed martial arts competition or sparring exhibition held in the this 34 26.391.11 4 64 Underscores indicate new language. Overstrikes indicate deleted language. state. The fee established under this subdivision may, state, provided the fee does not 1 exceed five percent of the gross revenues of the competition or sparring exhibition 2 from any and all sources, including cable television and pay-per-view telecasts of 3 the event, exclusive of any federal tax. However, the The commission may 4 establish and impose a minimum competition or sparring 26.391.12 4 64 SB64 ENROLLED exhibition fee, not to 5 exceed five thousand dollars, to cover the expenses of the South Dakota Athletic 6 Commission commission; 7 (7) Establish criteria for approved bona fide educational institutions or national 8 amateur boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts associations for purposes of 9 being exempted from the provisions of this chapter; 10 (8) Establish procedures for disciplinary proceedings; and 11 (9) Establish procedures for receiving and conducting complaint investigations; 12 (10) Establish procedures for the suspension of boxers, kickboxers, mixed martial 13 artists, officials, and seconds following participation in a boxing, kickboxing, or 14 mixed martial arts competition or sparring exhibition; 15 (11) Establish procedures for conducting a review and verification of a bout result in a 16 boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts competition or sparring exhibition; 17 (12) Establish qualifying requirements for boxers, kickboxers, mixed martial artists, 18 officials, and seconds for participation in a boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial 19 arts competition or sparring exhibition; 20 (13) Establish qualifying requirements for managers, matchmakers, and promotors for 21 involvement in boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts competition or sparring 22 exhibition; 23 (14) Establish requirements for the conduct and discipline of boxers, kickboxers, mixed 24 martial artists, managers, matchmakers, officials, promoters, and seconds 25 participating in boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts competitions or sparring 26 exhibitions; 27 (15) Establish criteria and requirements for a boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts 28 competition or sparring exhibition conducted by an education institution; national 29 amateur boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts association; or local affiliate 30 approved by the commission to be exempted from the provisions of this chapter; 31 and 32 (16) Establish the following fees: 33 (a) A boxer registration fee, not to exceed one hundred dollars; 34 (b) An inspector registration fee, not to exceed one hundred dollars; 35 26.391.11 5 64 Underscores indicate new language. Overstrikes indicate deleted language. (c) A judge registration fee, not to exceed one hundred dollars; 1 (d) A kickboxer registration fee, not to exceed one hundred dollars; 2 (e) A mixed martial artist registration fee, not to exceed one hundred dollars; 3 (f) A physician registration fee, not to exceed one hundred dollars; 4 (g) A referee registration fee, not to exceed one hundred dollars; 26.391.12 5 64 SB64 ENROLLED (h) A second registration fee, not to exceed one hundred dollars; 6 (i) A timekeeper fee, not to exceed one hundred dollars; 7 (j) A manager license fee, not to exceed five hundred dollars; 8 (k) A matchmaker license fee, not to exceed five hundred dollars; and 9 (l) A promoter license fee, not to exceed five hundred dollars. 10 Section 5. That § 42-12-14 be AMENDED: 11 42-12-14. No A boxer, kickboxer, or mixed martial artist may not participate in 12 any a competition or sparring exhibition without having a certificate of registration issued 13 by the commission. Each boxer, kickboxer, or mixed martial artist, official, and second 14 shall submit an application upon a the form prescribed by the commission and pay the 15 required application fee. 16 Any boxer, kickboxer, or mixed martial artist, official, or second in a competition 17 or sparring exhibition, who does not have a certificate of registration issued by the 18 commission, or who does not comply with the provisions of this chapter or any rule 19 promulgated pursuant to this chapter, is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor and subject to 20 the sanctions and penalties provided in §§ 42-12-20 and 42-12-24. 21 The commission may file a civil suit to enjoin any person from engaging in a 22 competition or sparring exhibition without a certificate of registration issued by the 23 commission. 24 Section 6. That § 42-12-15 be AMENDED: 25 42-12-15. No A manager, matchmaker, or promoter may not arrange, facilitate, 26 participate in, facilitate, produce, stage, arrange, or profit from, or stage a competition or 27 sparring exhibition without having a license issued by the commission. A manager, 28 matchmaker, or promoter shall submit an application upon a the form prescribed by the 29 commission and shall pay the required application fee. 30 Any person association, club, corporation, association, or entity, or individual 31 required to have a license pursuant to this section, that arranges, facilitates, participates 32 in, facilitates, produces, stages, arranges, or profits from, or stages a competition or 33 26.391.11 6 64 Underscores indicate new language. Overstrikes indicate deleted language. sparring exhibition without having a license issued by the commission, or that does not 1 comply with the provisions of this chapter or any rule promulgated pursuant to this 2 chapter, is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor and subject to the sanctions and penalties 3 provided in §§ 42-12-20 and 42-12-24. 4 The commission may file a civil suit to enjoin any person or entity from engaging 5 in a competition or sparring exhibition without a license issued by the commission. 6 Section 7. That § 42-12-16 be AMENDED: 7 42-12-16. No A competition or sparring exhibition may not be held without having 8 a certificate of registration issued by the commission. The commission shall prescribe the 9 form and the fee for registration. 10 Any person association, club, competitor, club, corporation, association, or entity 11 or individual that arranges, facilitates, participates in, facilitates, produces, stages, 12 arranges, or profits from, or stages a competition or sparring exhibition that does not have 13 a certificate of registration issued by the commission, or that does not comply with the 14 provisions of this chapter or any rule promulgated pursuant to this chapter, is guilty of a 15 Class 2 misdemeanor and subject to the sanctions and penalties provided in §§ 42-12-20 and 42-12-24. The commission may file a civil suit to enjoin any person from engaging in a competition or sparring exhibition without a certificate of registration issued by the commission. Section 6. That § 42-12-15 be AMENDED: 42-12-15. A manager, matchmaker, or promoter may not arrange, facilitate, participate in, produce, profit from, or stage a competition or sparring exhibition without having a license issued by the commission. A manager, matchmaker, or promoter shall submit an application upon the form prescribed by the commission and shall pay the required fee. Any association, club, corporation, entity, or individual required to have a license pursuant to this section, that arranges, facilitates, participates in, produces, profits from, or stages a competition or sparring exhibition without having a license issued by the commission, or that does not comply with the provisions of this chapter or any rule promulgated pursuant to this chapter, is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor and subject to the sanctions and penalties provided in §§ 42-12-20 and 42-12-24. The commission may file a civil suit to enjoin any person from engaging in a competition or sparring exhibition without a license issued by the commission. 26.391.12 6 64 SB64 ENROLLED Section 7. That § 42-12-16 be AMENDED: 42-12-16. A competition or sparring exhibition may not be held without having a certificate of registration issued by the commission. The commission shall prescribe the form and the fee for registration. Any association, club, competitor, corporation, or individual that arranges, facilitates, participates in, produces, profits from, or stages a competition or sparring exhibition that does not have a certificate of registration issued by the commission, or that does not comply with the provisions of this chapter or any rule promulgated pursuant to this chapter, is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor and subject to the sanctions and penalties provided in §§ 42-12-20 16 and 42-12-24. 17 The commission may file a civil suit to enjoin any person or entity from participating 18 in, facilitating, producing, staging, arranging, or profiting from a competition or sparring 19 exhibition that does not have a certificate of registration issued by the commission. 20 Section 8. That § 42-12-18 be AMENDED: 21 42-12-18. Any member of the commission, or its representative or the 22 commission's agent, assigned official, or representative, may freely enter upon and 23 inspect a competition or sparring exhibition at the time and place set for the competition 24 or sparring exhibition. 25 Section 9. That § 42-12-7.1 be REPEALED. 26 Terms used in this chapter mean: 27 (1) "Department," the Department of Labor and Regulation; 28 (2) "Commission," the South Dakota Athletic Commission; 29 (3) "Boxing," the sport or practice of fighting with fists in which participants wear 30 boxing gloves; 31 26.391.11 7 64 Underscores indicate new language. Overstrikes indicate deleted language. (4) "Kickboxing," the sport of attack and defense in which participants wear boxing 1 gloves and throw punches as in boxing and kick with bare feet as in karate; 2 (5) "Mixed martial arts," the sport of fighting in which participants inflict or employ 3 kicks, punches, blows, holds, and other techniques to injure, stun, choke, 4 incapacitate, or disable an opponent, using a combination of boxing, kickboxing, 5 wrestling, grappling, or other martial arts; 6 (6) "Boxer," a participant in a boxing competition or sparring exhibition; 7 (7) "Kickboxer," a participant in a kickboxing competition or sparring exhibition; 8 (8) "Mixed martial artist," a participant in a mixed martial arts competition or sparring 9 exhibition; 10 (9) "Promoter," any person, club, corporation, association, or entity, who produces, 11 arranges, or stages any competition or sparring exhibition; 12 (10) "Manager," any person who acts on behalf of a boxer, kickboxer, or mixed martial 13 artist to facilitate the production, arrangement, or staging of any competition or 14 sparring exhibition; 15 (11) "Matchmaker," any person, club, corporation, association, or entity that brings 16 together a competition or sparring exhibition; 17 (12) "Competition," any match, fight, contest, or event in which the participants intend 18 to and actually inflict punches, blows, kicks, or other techniques to temporarily 19 incapacitate an opponent with the intent to win the competition, and in which the 20 participants receive payment or remuneration, directly or indirectly, as 21 consideration for the participant's performance; and 22 (13) "Sparring exhibition," any match, fight, contest, or event in which the participants 23 intend to and actually inflict punches, blows, kicks, or other techniques to 24 temporarily incapacitate an opponent with the intent to display skills without 25 striving to win, and in which the participants receive payment or remuneration, 26 directly or indirectly, as consideration for the participant's performance. 27 Section 10. That § 42-12-13 be REPEALED. 28 All boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts or sparring exhibitions conducted by 29 bona fide educational institutions or by national amateur boxing, kickboxing, or mixed 30 martial arts associations or their local affiliates 26.391.12 7 64 SB64 ENROLLED An Act to revise and repeal provisions related to the athletic commission. I certify that the attached Act originated in the: Senate as Bill No. 64 Secretary of the Senate President of the Senate Attest: Secretary of the Senate Speaker of the House Attest: Chief Clerk of the House Senate Bill No. 64 File No. ____ Chapter No. ______ Received at this Executive Office this _____ day of _____________, 2026 at ____________M. By for the Governor The attached Act is hereby approved by this ________ day of ______________, A.D., 2026 Governor STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA, ss. Office of the commission are exempt 31 from the provisions Secretary of this chapter. 32 State Filed ____________, 2026 at _________ o'clock __M. Secretary of State By Asst. Secretary of State