AB 2130: State Athletic Commission: boxing and mixed martial arts: sponsorship contracts.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law, the Boxing Act, also known as the State Athletic Commission Act, creates the State Athletic Commission and makes the commission responsible for licensing and regulating, among other sports, boxing and martial arts, including mixed martial arts. Existing law prohibits a person from engaging in the promotion of, or participating in, a boxing or martial arts contest, match, or exhibition without a license, except as specified.

Existing law requires the commission to appoint a person exempt from civil service to serve as the executive officer to exercise the powers and perform the duties delegated by the commission. Existing law authorizes the commission to employ certain individuals to perform specified duties.

This bill would authorize the commission to employ an assistant chief athletic inspector in charge of training to assist the chief athletic inspector in exercising the above-described duties.

Existing law establishes the Athletic Commission Fund and requires that all moneys received by the commission under these provisions be remitted to the Treasurer and deposited into that fund. Existing law establishes the Boxers’ Pension Fund (BP Fund) and Mixed Martial Arts Retirement Benefit Fund (MMA Fund), and requires that certain amounts be contributed to those funds, as specified. Existing law makes those funds continuously appropriated and provides that amounts in the funds are to be used exclusively for the purposes and administration of those funds. Existing law makes a violation of these provisions a misdemeanor.

This bill would authorize the commission to enter into a contract or agreement with specified entities to place the entity’s name, logo, insignia, or brand on the apparel of referees, judges, and ringside physicians, subject to specified conditions. The bill would prohibit a sponsorship contract from, among other things, promoting a sham or fake contest, as specified.

This bill would require 25% of the payment received under these contracts to be deposited into the Athletic Commission Fund to be used as prescribed and, notwithstanding the above-described deposit requirement, the remaining 75% of the payment received to be divided between the BP Fund and MMA Fund in a manner that fairly represents the revenue derived from each segment, as determined by the commission and set forth in the sponsorship contract. By depositing the above-described payments into the continuously appropriated funds, the bill would make an appropriation.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. May 14, 2026In committee: Held under submission.
2. May 6, 2026In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
3. April 23, 2026Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
4. April 22, 2026Read second time and amended.
5. April 21, 2026From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 21).
6. April 15, 2026Re-referred to Com. on A.,E.,S., & T.
7. April 14, 2026From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on A.,E.,S., & T. Read second time and amended.
8. April 14, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on A.,E.,S., & T. (Ayes 19. Noes 0.) (April 14). Re-referred to Com. on A.,E.,S., & T.
9. April 6, 2026In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
10. March 9, 2026Referred to Coms. on B. & P. and A.,E.,S., & T.
11. February 19, 2026From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.
12. February 18, 2026Read first time. To print.