Colorado Combative Sports Office Continuation and Terminology Update

CO Legislature Bill Search

Published January 1st, 2026

Detected March 4th, 2026

Summary

Colorado Bill HB26-1194 continues the office of combative sports and commission until 2037, updating terminology and safety data collection requirements. The bill also modifies disciplinary grounds and introduces new financial interest restrictions for promoters, matchmakers, and managers.

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What changed

Colorado Bill HB26-1194, concerning the continuation of the office of combative sports, implements recommendations from the 2025 sunset report. The bill officially changes the name of the "Colorado Professional Boxing Safety Act" to the "Colorado Combative Sports Safety Act" and updates related terminology. Key provisions include the continuation of the office and commission until 2037, granting physician members of the commission voting power and clarifying their required experience, and directing the office director to gather safety data for the commission's use in rule-making. The bill also identifies grounds for disciplinary action, including failure to respond to division inquiries, and removes the requirement for certified mail for letters of admonition.

Furthermore, the bill introduces new prohibitions on financial interests within combative sports. Promoters and matchmakers are prohibited from having a financial interest in a participant's management. Managers are prohibited from having a financial interest in the promotion of a participant, being employed by a promoter or matchmaker, or receiving compensation beyond their contract with the participant from these entities. These changes will require regulated entities, including promoters, matchmakers, managers, and participants, to review and potentially revise their business practices and contractual agreements to ensure compliance with the updated statutes.

What to do next

Review and update internal policies regarding combative sports promotion, management, and participant contracts to align with new financial interest restrictions.
Ensure compliance with updated disciplinary procedures, including response times to division inquiries.
Familiarize with the revised terminology and scope of the "Colorado Combative Sports Safety Act".

Source document (simplified)

HB26-1194

Sunset Combative Sports Office & Commission

| Type | Bill |
| --- | --- |
| Session | 2026 Regular Session |
| Subjects | Business & Economic Development Professions & Occupations |
Concerning the continuation of the office of combative sports, and, in connection therewith, implementing the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies in the department's 2025 sunset report.

Recent Bill (PDF) Recent Fiscal Note (PDF) Bill Summary:

Sunset Process - House Health and Human Services Committee. The bill implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies in its 2025 sunset review and report.

Section 1 of the bill changes the name of the "Colorado Professional Boxing Safety Act" to the "Colorado Combative Sports Safety Act". Sections 4, 5, 8, 12, and 13 update terms that reference boxing to better align with the new title.

Sections 2 and 3 continue the "Colorado Combative Sports Safety Act" and the office of combative sports (office), including the Colorado combative sports commission (commission), for 11 years, until 2037.

Section 6 grants the 2 physician members of the commission the power to vote with the other members and clarifies that the physician members must have experience or training in emergency, sports, or combative sports medicine.

Section 9 directs the office director to gather safety data related to combative sports to provide to the commission.

Section 7 directs the commission to consider the safety data collected by the office director during the commission's rule-making and requires the commission to identify, by rule, the combative sports to which the "Colorado Combative Sports Safety Act" applies.

Section 10 adds, to the combative sports statutes pertaining to grounds for discipline, that the director of the division of professions and occupations (division) may discipline a licensee or an applicant for a license for failing to respond to a letter from the division regarding a complaint against the licensee or applicant within the length of time for response specified in the letter. Section 10 also removes the requirement that a letter of admonition sent to a licensee or applicant be sent by certified mail.

Section 11 prohibits a promoter or matchmaker from having a financial interest in the management of a combative sports participant (participant) and prohibits a manager from:

Having a financial interest in the promotion of a participant;
Being employed by a promoter or matchmaker; or
Receiving compensation or other benefits from a promoter or matchmaker beyond the amount received as consideration pursuant to the manager's contract with the participant. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)