Attn: Louisiana Martial Artist

dllee · Yellow Belt

There is a bill, House Bill No. 735, pending before the Commerce Committee of the State House of Representatives that, in its present form, would subject karate, tae kwon do and other martial arts disciplines to the regulatory authority of the State Boxing and Wrestling Commission. The bill, intorduced by Rep. Mert Smiley (Livingston & Ascension Parishes) may be downloaded at the following website:

http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/byinst.asp?sessionid=05RS&billid=hb735

The bill is set for hearing before the House Commerce committee this coming Tuesday, May 10, at 9:30 am. We need to show up and be counted. Come to the State Capitol building, House of Representatives, committee room 1. Meanwhile, email the sponsor of the bill, Representative Smiley and the Committee. To find their web pages & email addresses, go to:

http://house.legis.state.la.us/H-Reps/members.asp?ID=88

The consensus of legal opinion is that the bill would definitely include us under the commission's authority. The consensus of cynical opinion is that, since there is no need to regulate us - since there's no evidence of any problem that needs to be addressed - the probable intent is to broaden the commission's authority so as to increase its reason for existence and sources of revenue.

As I hope most of you are aware, there is a bill pending before the state house of representatives (House Bill No. 735) that would make karate and other traditional martial arts "exhibitions" and competitions subject to the regulatory authority of the State Boxing and Wrestling Commission. The bill will be considered by the House Commerce Committee on Tuesday, May 10, at 9:30 am in House of Rep. Committee Room no. 1, in the State Capitol building. We're hoping to have a good crowd there, but that's not why I'm writing you.

Three of the members of the Commerce Committee are from St. Tammany Parish: Mike Strain and Diane Winston of Covington, and A.G. Crowe of Slidell. People with experience working the legislature have told us that telephone calls and other messages from constituents to their representatives on a committee considering a bill are very effective.

You are in a position to be have a big impact in defeating this needless and destructive bill in committee, before it goes any further. Call the St. Tammany Parish members of the Commerce Committee, whether you're in their district or not, and tell them your connection to karate and that you are concerned with and oppose the bill. A list of the members appears at the bottom of this message. Call them at home this weekend (look up their home numbers if not in the list.) Or no later than Monday at their offices. Send them email also, but call them. Go the max. And get other karate people in the parish to do the same.

The obvious reason for opposition is that there is simply no need for government regulation of traditional martial arts training and competitions, and certainly no need has been demonstrated by the proponents of the bill (whoever they are). For example, our karate organizaton, ASKF, has been holding annual, regional competitions in New Orleans for 41 years, and no one has shown evidence of any need for its regulation by a state commission.

As to what's really behind the bill, Steve Robichaux has been unable to get a straight answer. He's spoken to the sponsor, Rep. Mert Smiley (Livingston & Ascencion Parishes)., who claimed not to know much about the bill; he was asked to introduce it by the chairman of the boxing commission. Steve spoke to the chairman of the commission, who also claimed not to know much and referred Steve to the lawyer who drafted the bill. Last I talked to Steve, he was waiting for a call-back from the lawyer.

The general opinion is that, whatever the purported purpose, the real intent is to bring the martial arts under the jurisdiction of the boxing commission so as to increase the commission's reason for existence (boxing's very weak in La) and to increase its revenue base (commissioners salaries come from the revenues of the commission's licencing and taxing authority. Ten years ago we beat back an open attempt to bring us under the boxing commission. This is a replay, but less straight-forward.

I'm not going to analze the bill here. It speaks mostly of "mixed martial arts." Of the 3 lawyers that have reviewed it for us, the opinion is unanimous that it would bring us under the boxing commission's regulatory authority. The bill is House Bill No. 735. It may be downloaded at:

http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/byinst.asp?sessionid=05RS&billid=hb735

Look at the definition of "mixed martial arts" in section 85(5), and the definition of "amateur" in section 85(1)(b), which serves to make clear that the bill would include us under the boxing commission, although in the "amateur" category.

Here's the list of all members, including St. Tammany Parish members, of the House of Rep Commerce Committee: Acadiana:Gillis Pinac, Chairman (Acadia & Lafayette) (337) 783-7963 Crowley larep042@legis.state.la.usMickey Frith (Cameron & Vermillion) (337) 893-5035 Abbeville larep047@legis.state.la.usBrett Frank Geymann (Beauregard & Calcasieu) (337) 491-2315 Lake Charles larep035@legis.state.la.usChuck Kleckley (Calcasieu) (337) 475-3016 Lake Charles larep036@legis.state.la.usDon Trahan (Lafayette & Vermillion) (337) 984-0175 Lafayette larep031@legis.state.la.us Baton Rouge:Bodi White (E. Baton Rouge & Livingston) (225) 791-2199 Denham Springs larep064@legis.state.la.us Shreveport/N. Louisiana:Jean Doerge, Vice-chair (Webster) (318) 371-3092 Minden larep010@legis.state.la.usBeverly Bruce (Caddo & DeSoto) (318) 872-1666 Mansfield larep007@legis.state.la.usWayne Waddell (Caddo) (318) 219-9000 Shreveport larep005@legis.state.la.usMichael Walsworth (West Monroe) (318) 340-6453 larep015@legis.state.la.us St. TammanyA. G. Crowe (St. Tammany) (985) 643-3600. Res: (985) 863-2926. Slidell larep076@legis.state.la.usMichael Strain (St. Tammany, Tangipahoa & Washington) (985) 893-6246 Covington larep074@legis.state.la.usDiane Winston (St. Tammany & Tangipahoa) (985) 893-6262 Covington larep077@legis.state.la.us

Greater New Orleans Area:Juan LaFonta (Orleans) (504) 942-7991 New Orleans larep096@legis.state.la.usTank Powell (Tangipahoa) (985) 386-2910 Ponchatoula larep073@legis.state.la.usHarold Ritchie (St. Tammany & Washington) (985) 730-2147 Bogalusa larep075@legis.state.la.usDerrick Shepherd (Jefferson) (504) 371-0263 Marrero larep087@legis.state.la.usGary Smith (St. Charles & St. John) (985) 764-9122 Norco larep56@legis.state.la.us

When the Representatives are in their offices in the Capitol, they can be reached by phone at (225) 342-6945.
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"Karate is like ballet, except there is no music, no choreography and the dancers get to hit each other."

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