Canada, Connecticut Lawmakers Pass Bills To Legalize MMA

Canada's House of Commons has passed a bill "legalizing contact sports" including MMA, tae kwon do and karate. The sports were "not technically covered under prize-fighting law, making it difficult to regulate them and protect the safety of fighters." The bill passed "easily with 267 members of parliament in favour and only nine opposed" (GLOBE & MAIL, 6/6).

Meanwhile, the Connecticut state Senate yesterday on the final day of its '13 session gave "final approval" to a measure that legalizes and regulates MMA. The bill passed by a 26-9 margin. A spokesperson said that Gov. Dannel Malloy "will review it when it gets to his desk" (HARTFORD COURANT, 6/6).