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Bills from the 2009–10 session

Senate Bill 290

Changes in the regulation of boxing contests, regulating mixed martial arts fighting contests, granting rule-making authority, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty

Topics: Athletics, Public employee, Regulation and Licensing, Department of

Became law

The governor signed it on Feb 5, 2010. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Sep 16, 2009

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Nov 5, 2009

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Jan 19, 2010

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2009 Wisconsin Act 111

Latest entry in the official record, Feb 9, 2010: “Published 2-18-2010.”

Read the bill

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What it does

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, the Department of Regulation and Licensing (department) regulates boxing contests conducted in the state. No club may conduct a professional boxing contest without a license from the department. Currently, only clubs that are incorporated under the laws of this state and whose members have been residents of this state for at least one year are eligible for licensure. An applicant for licensure must pay an annual fee from $25 to $300, depending on the size of the city, village, or town in which the contest is held and the price of admission.

Current law also authorizes the department to license matchmakers, managers, referees, examining physicians, and boxers in professional boxing contests. A department-appointed inspector must be present at all professional boxing contests to see that the rules are strictly observed. A licensee authorized to conduct a professional boxing contest must insure each contestant for hospital, nursing, and medication expenses and physician's services according to an equitable fee schedule. The department is required to ban a contestant who participates in a sham or fake professional boxing contest or violates any department rule, and is authorized to require the contestant to forfeit the purse for the contest.

Read the full summary

Also under current law, an amateur boxing contest (defined as a contest in which none of the contestants are compensated for participating) may be conducted in this state only if the contest is sanctioned by, and conducted under the rules of, the national governing body for amateur boxing.

This bill generally authorizes the department to regulate amateur and professional mixed martial arts fighting contests on the same terms as professional boxing contests, and to license promoters of boxing and mixed martial arts fighting contests on the same terms as clubs. The bill deletes the requirements that applicants for licensure be incorporated under the laws of this state and comprise only members who are residents of this state. The bill changes the license application fee to $200, or $500 in a city of more than 150,000 inhabitants, and changes the penalty for sham or fake contests to a forfeiture not to exceed $500. Fifty percent of forfeitures collected by the department are appropriated to the department for enforcement.

The bill also imposes a number of requirements on mixed martial arts fighting contests, including the following: A contestant in an amateur mixed martial arts fighting contest must be able to provide evidence that he or she is covered by adequate health insurance. No mixed martial arts fighting contest may be conducted without at least one licensed referee and at least four licensed judges. Contestants must be examined by a physician immediately before and after each match, and a physician and ambulance must be present during each match. The bill requires the department to promulgate rules for mixed martial arts fighting contests establishing: 1) qualifications for licensure of referees and judges; 2) requirements for regular health examinations for contestants; and 3) policies prohibiting the use of drugs and mandating drug testing of contestants.

Who's behind it

7 senators are its ⁠. 6 are Democrats and 1 is a Republican.

12 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 19 names

Authors (7)

Signed on in support (12)

What it would cost

State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

How lawmakers voted

There were 4 votes on this bill.

Senate Committee on Labor vote on an amendment

Passed, 5 to 0 · Oct 29, 2009

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 3 recommended by committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 32 to 0 · Nov 5, 2009

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Read a third time and passed, Ayes 32, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly Committee on Consumer Protection vote on an amendment

Passed, 9 to 0 · Jan 12, 2010

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Consumer Protection, Ayes 9, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 32 to 1 · Jan 21, 2010

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Assembly substitute amendment 1 concurred in, Ayes 32, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Feb 9, 2010

    The new law was published.

  2. Feb 5, 2010

    The governor signed it. It became 2009 Wisconsin Act 111.

  3. Feb 2, 2010

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Jan 21, 2010

    “Action ordered immediately messaged” (the official wording)

  5. Jan 19, 2010

    The Senate adopted it.

  6. Jan 19, 2010

    The Assembly passed it too.

  7. Jan 19, 2010

    The Assembly adopted it.

  8. Jan 12, 2010

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  9. Jan 12, 2010

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 9 to 0.

  10. Nov 10, 2009

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Consumer Protection.

  11. Nov 10, 2009

    The Assembly received it.

  12. Nov 5, 2009

    The Senate passed it, 32 to 0.

  13. Nov 5, 2009

    The Senate adopted it.

  14. Nov 4, 2009

    “Withdrawn from joint committee on Finance and made Available for Scheduling by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e)” (the official wording)

  15. Nov 4, 2009

    Sent to the Joint Committee on Finance.

  16. Oct 29, 2009

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.

  17. Oct 29, 2009

    “Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 3 recommended by committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  18. Oct 13, 2009

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  19. Oct 13, 2009

    The committee held a public hearing.

  20. Oct 1, 2009

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  21. Sep 16, 2009

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs.

  22. Sep 16, 2009

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Sep 16, 2009 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Hansen, Lehman, Plale, Cowles, Lassa, Taylor and Sullivan;Cosponsored by Representatives Colon, Pocan, Zepnick, Hintz, Zigmunt, Kleefisch, Vruwink, Richards, Cullen, Staskunas, Honadel and Seidel

  2. Sep 16, 2009 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs

  3. Oct 1, 2009 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Oct 13, 2009 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  5. Oct 13, 2009 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  6. Oct 27, 2009 · Senate

    Senate substitute amendment 1 offered by Senator Hansen

  7. Oct 28, 2009 · Senate

    Senate substitute amendment 2 offered by Senator Hansen

  8. Oct 29, 2009 · Senate

    Senate substitute amendment 3 offered by Senator Hansen

  9. Oct 29, 2009 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  10. Oct 29, 2009 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 3 recommended by committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  11. Oct 29, 2009 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  12. Oct 29, 2009 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  13. Nov 4, 2009 · Senate

    Referred to joint committee on Finance by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e)

  14. Nov 4, 2009 · Senate

    Withdrawn from joint committee on Finance and made Available for Scheduling by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e)

  15. Nov 4, 2009 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 11-5-2009 by committee on Senate Organization

  16. Nov 5, 2009 · Senate

    Read a second time

  17. Nov 5, 2009 · Senate

    Senate substitute amendment 3 adopted

  18. Nov 5, 2009 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  19. Nov 5, 2009 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  20. Nov 5, 2009 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 32, Noes 0

  21. Nov 5, 2009 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  22. Nov 10, 2009 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  23. Nov 10, 2009 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Consumer Protection

  24. Dec 16, 2009 · Assembly

    Assembly substitute amendment 1 offered by Representative Colon

  25. Dec 16, 2009 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  26. Jan 12, 2010 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Consumer Protection, Ayes 9, Noes 0

  27. Jan 12, 2010 · Assembly

    Report concurrence as amended recommended by committee on Consumer Protection, Ayes 9, Noes 0

  28. Jan 12, 2010 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  29. Jan 13, 2010 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 1-19-2010 by committee on Rules

  30. Jan 19, 2010 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  31. Jan 19, 2010 · Assembly

    Assembly substitute amendment 1 adopted

  32. Jan 19, 2010 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  33. Jan 19, 2010 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  34. Jan 19, 2010 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in as amended

  35. Jan 19, 2010 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  36. Jan 19, 2010 · Senate

    Received from Assembly amended and concurred in as amended, Assembly substitute amendment 1 adopted

  37. Jan 20, 2010 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 1-21-2010 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  38. Jan 21, 2010 · Senate

    Assembly substitute amendment 1 concurred in, Ayes 32, Noes 1

  39. Jan 21, 2010 · Senate

    Action ordered immediately messaged

  40. Jan 26, 2010 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled on 1-26-2010

  41. Feb 2, 2010 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 2-2-2010

  42. Feb 5, 2010 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 2-4-2010. 2009 Wisconsin Act 111

  43. Feb 9, 2010 · Senate

    Published 2-18-2010.

Terms on this page

Wisconsin Act

The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.

Official term: Act. More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary

Cost estimate

A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.

Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary

From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source

Wisconsin Act

The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.

Official term: Act

More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis

More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor

More in the glossary

Cost estimate

A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.

Official term: Fiscal estimate

More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary