OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
Hon. Toe Kumohik, Co~mnieaioner Bureau of Labor Statirtior Austin, Texas ,.I\, / \ Dear Sir: Oplntnian pro. o-B& ",; Rer Exhibitionoi p++a fight mtio~,.~pist* rtlrs.
ode ha I beon, b lf- or ubafhor it 10 :W t0 paon pri~i r-t xa8 theatore."
.dernon*~ Annotated Penal Coda rleturo In 169SI,pruhlbitedp&l- mom ~naotluent deiined a "pugilisti
term ~pug$li8tiol noountor,* aa n, 113meant any voluntary right or noounter by blow8 by mean8 of the or otherwire,whefhar with or wfthout glO~e5, betWO8n tW0 Or mOr0 IDtIn fO%- IOMIP, Or ror a prize of any oharaotor,or for any other thing Or V&lUO, or ror any ohan@iOnship,or upon the result of whioh any mney or snythtna, Hon. Joe Kunsahik, Comuissioser,Page 2
or value is bet or wagered, or to ESS which any edmission fee Is cherged." From 1895 until the year 1935 vprfaa fighting*, aa that tare is ~omonly uudaratoodia athlQtia ofrolaa, wss held unlawful. Sea SULLIVAN v. STATE, 32 Tax. C. R. SO, 22 S. W. ti%LARD V. KNO5LAUCH (T. C. A.), 206 S. W. 934. In 1910 ths Legialeturewant ,a~':atap rurther se8 prohibited the exhibitionor motion glotuwa or pries right.. Article 612, Vernon'8 AnuotataQ'PenalCoda. This eneotlnsntraaaa 68 roilowaz qo person, aseooitation, oorporetion Qp any agent or aaploya of any paraon, aaaooietlon, corporationor raoalvar, partnershipor firm shall glra or present to the publio au axhlbi- tion or prlsa right6 or glen oont~ata,or or any obaoens. indaoen~ or immoral piatora of any characterwhatsoever, by meana of moving plotura rilm6, bloaoOpca, vitaaoopea,magi0 laatarna or ot4r devioe or davloea in moving plotore ahowa, thrtera, or auy other plaoe *Ihataoarer~ >.,.:.: "Any poreon, or any agent or ampl0ye of any pwson, a66oolatlon,oorporatlouor raeaiv*r vlolatlng any yrovlaion at thia art1010 ahall be finad not leas than one hundred aor mere than one thousand dollas, or be 1rrpri.md in jell ;F;;; leas than ten nor more than sixty bya, Each day*6 violstion or any provision or thls'artiolesbs3.1be a separate offenaarn In rosa, however, the public polioy 0r the State as manifested by its legislativeenactments.ohangsd. H. B. 832, kots 1933, 43rd Leg., p. 843, ch. 241, legalized with c+tialn limitationafistic combat, wraetling mtohpri, sparring oontests or exhibitionsfor money. Su- Labor Statletioe. This enactment wee aubaaquantlyamended ,-, Hon. Joa Kunschik, Connaisslonar, in 1954, to allaw tha Coamlaaionarto preaoriba rules and regulationsfor boding and wrestling. Bee A&a 1934, 2nd C.S., p. 68, oh. 2l. SeOtiOn 16 or the Aot of 1935 axpreasly repealed all laws and parts or lawa in aonrllot therewith snd m laay safely 88swna that Artlola@ 610 and 6l.lof the Pa-1 Coda have been auparoadad. Thl6~wa mar not aaauma r0r Artiolo 612.
We have oarafully axamlnad 19& ia amanded by the Aat of 19S4 (Vernon*6Annotatab Penal Coda, Artiolar 614-1-614-170 inolualva)and have raflad to find an~rprovision amking it lawful to praaatit au axhl- bition of pries fight&g to tha pub110 by motion piotura ribus, Cartafnly there has bean no axprase.repaalof Artiola 612 0r the Penal Coda. Whila the law rrawna upon, but somatimaa aanotlona,rapaala