§ 54.1-831 Powers and duties of the Department
The Department shall administer and enforce the provisions of this chapter. In addition to the powers and duties otherwise conferred by law, the Director shall have the powers and duties of a regulatory board as contained in §§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-202, and shall have the power and duty to:
1. Promulgate regulations in accordance with the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) which implement the federal Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 (15 U.S.C. § 6301 et seq.) and protect the public against incompetent, unqualified, unscrupulous or unfit persons engaging in the activities regulated by this chapter. The regulations shall include requirements for (i) initial authorization and renewal of the authorization; (ii) authorization and conduct of events; (iii) standards of practice for persons arranging, promoting, conducting, supervising, and participating in events; (iv) grounds for disciplinary actions against regulants; (v) records to be kept and maintained by regulants; (vi) the manner in which fees are to be accounted for and submitted to the Department, provided, however, that no gate fee shall be required for amateur-only events conducted by a sanctioning organization approved by the Director pursuant to § 54.1-829.1; and (vii) minimum health coverage for injuries sustained in a boxing or martial arts match. The Department shall have direct oversight of professional events to assure the safety and well-being of boxers, martial artists, and professional wrestlers, except that those portions of an event containing amateur bouts shall be conducted under the oversight of a sanctioning organization. Sanctioning organizations shall have sole responsibility for direct oversight of amateur-only events in which martial artists compete.
2. Charge each applicant for authorization and for renewals of authorization a nonrefundable fee subject to the provisions of § 54.1-113 and subdivision A 4 of § 54.1-201. A sanctioning organization shall be subject to the application fee provisions of subsection D of § 54.1-829.1.
3. Conduct investigations to determine the suitability of applicants for authorization and to determine the regulant’s compliance with applicable statutes and regulations.
4. Conduct investigations as to whether monopolies, combinations, or other circumstances exist to restrain matches or exhibition bouts of boxing, martial arts, or professional wrestling anywhere in the Commonwealth. The Attorney General may assist investigations at the request of the Department.
5. Exercise jurisdiction over all boxing, martial arts, and professional wrestling conducted within the Commonwealth by any person, except where otherwise exempted.
History
This law was first created in 1998. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 895 of that year’s edition of “Acts of Assembly,” the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 5 times. Those modifications are cataloged by “The Acts of Assembly,” a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly’s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2010, chapter 764; in 2012, chapter 769; in 2015, chapters 216 and 264; in 2016, chapter 756; in 2025, chapters 95 and 111.
1998, c. 895; 2010, c. 764; 2012, c. 769; 2015, cc. 216, 264; 2016, c. 756; 2025, cc. 95, 111.