Update April 30, 2024
Texas responded to my open records request asking for a copy of all the health and safety records they are reviewing about slap fighting before voting on the ‘sport’.
They responded they have none.
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Update April 16, 2024 –
Texas has already given Powerslap a promoters licence. Even though slap fighting is not yet approved.
I reached out to the TDLR who provided the following explanation on this sequence of events
“promoters are not licensed by fighting discipline; there is no boxing promoter or MMA promoter license, for example. If an entity meets the statutory requirements for the promoter license (see subchapter C of Texas Occupations Code Chapter 2052), they will receive it, regardless of the type of combative sports events they plan on promoting. However, we will not approve any promoter’s request to hold a slap fighting event unless and until the rules recognizing slap fighting are adopted by our Commission.”
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Texas is the latest State looking to green light slap fighting.
A public notice was published on the Texas Department of Licencing and Regulation’s website today. (HT Trent Reinsmith)
In short the Department says they concluded that slap fighting meets the definition of “combative sport” and “martial art” in their enabling legislation and that they will publish proposed rule changes for slap fighting on April 26 and will accept public comments on the proposal until May 28.
I will update this article once the proposed rules are published.
Below is the full public notice published today.
Combat Sports Law 