STOP H-232
CAMPAIGN TO SAVE WRESTLING
IN NORTH CAROLINA

"It is my understanding that Speaker Black has put in this section in order to provide funds for his friend Shawn Lemmond to continue to have a job."
- Heard in the Legislature Building regarding Sect. 7 of H-232

Update for Sept 5th

H-232 receives Favorable Approval from Senate Finance Committee

It's actually good news! The bill was modified in the Senate Finance Committee and a substitute text was approved that DID NOT CONTAIN THE WRESTLING PROVISIONS. You should thank those Senators that helped get rid of this terrible section of the bill and then give yourself a pat on the back for the hard work that you did to help derail this.

It's Still Not Over

We have won this major battle, however, it's not over until the Legislature is home. The risk is still there that someone will tack this provision back into a Budget Bill and the new budget gets passed. Send a "thank you" e-mail/FAX/phone call to your Senator and ask them to please not approve any budget that contains new regulations for pro wrestling.

Senate Representation by District

Update for August 21st

Rumor Put to Rest

There is a rumor that the NC Boxing Commission can regulate pro wrestling on Jan 1, 2001 or sooner if they choose to. This is not true. Executive Director Shawn Lemmond has stated that he has no authority over pro wrestling until the NC Senate passes the legislation that is pending.

The pressure is certainly working. The Senate Finance Committee is in no hurry to discuss the bill because of YOU giving them your opinions!
Keep it up!

What You Need To Do

You need to focus your calls / FAXes / e-mails on the two chairmen of the Senate Finance Comittee. We need to request politely, but sternly, that representatives of the wrestling community be properly notified and allowed to testify regarding
Section 7 of H-232 that deals with pro wrestling.

Senator David W. Hoyle
Davidh@ncleg.net
Office: (919) 733-5734
Home: (704) 867-0822

Senator John H. Kerr III
Johnk@ncleg.net
Office: (919) 733-5621
Home: (919) 734-1841

You need to call / FAX / e-mail the members of the Senate Finance Committee and let them know you want them to reject H-232 specifically Section 7. It is crucial that you do this immediately. A list of the members and contact info will be posted below.

Also we need people that can be part of the "Slam Squad." This will be people that can get to the Legislative Building in Raleigh on very short notice. We hope to have a days notice, but it could be as little as 30 minute notice when the Finance Committee may bring up the subject for discussion. Hopefully some of the Slam Squad will be allowed to present testimony, but their actual presensce will be a determining factor for the members that see we are aware of what is going on.

Slam Squad members are also encouraged to visit the Finance Committee member's offices and "sit & wait" to show your seriousness in this matter.

If you can help on the Slam Squad, please e-mail me now with all your contact info.

Everyone needs to Contact these Senators Immediately:

David Hoyle (Chairman) (Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln)
John Kerr III (Chairman) (Greene, Lenoir, Wayne)
Daniel Clodfelter (Vice-Chairman) (Mecklenberg)
Robert Shaw (Vice-Chairman) (Davidson, Guilford, Randolph)
R.C. Soles, Jr. (Vice-Chairman) (Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover)
David Weinstein (Vice-Chairman) (Bladen, Cumberland, Hoke, Robeson, Sampson)
Austin Allran (Catawba, Lincoln)
Charles Albertson (Duplin, Jones, Onslow, Pender, Sampson)
Patrick Balentine (Carteret, New Hanover, Onslow, Pender)
John Carrington (Wake)
Walter Dalton (Cleveland, Rutherford)
Charlie Dannelly (Mecklenburg)
Virginia Foxx (Alleghany, Ashe, Guilford, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry, Watauga)
Linda Garrou (Forsyth)
Wib Gulley (Durham, Granville, Person, Wake)
Kay Hagen (Guilford)
Oscar Harris (Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Sampson)
Fletcher Hartsell, Jr. (Cabarrus, Rowan, Stanly)
Howard Lee (Chatham, Lee, Moore, Orange, Randolph)
Stephen Metcalf (Buncombe, Burke, Madison, McDowell, Yancey)
Brad Miller (Johnston, Wake)
Kenneth Moore (Alexander, Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Mitchell, Wilkes, Yadkin)
William Purcell (Anson, Hoke, Montgomery, Richmond, Scotland, Stanly, Union)
Tony Rand (Cumberland)
Eric Reeves (Johnston, Wake)
Robert Rucho (Mecklenburg)
Larry Shaw (Cumberland)
A.B. Swindell (Edgecombe, Halifax, Nash, Wilson)
Hugh Webster (Alamance, Caswell, Person)
Allen Wellons (Franklin, Johnston, Vance, Wilson)

July 25th

We have uncovered some very important information regarding the "Fiscal Notes" on the projected revenues from this bill. This information will be very embarrassing for anyone that supports the bill. If or when the Committee discussing the bill, it will be presented and the fun will begin.

H-232 is still waiting to be discussed by the Finance Committee. If you'd like to see what the projections of revenue are for this bill (prepare to laugh) and how much the three commission members (including Shawn Lemmond) make in salary, click here.

H-232 has its first reading on Monday (6/25/01) and was referred to the Senate Finance Committee. At this point, no one knows when the bill will come up for discussion. The Finance Committee can recommend that things be removed, table the bill, reject the whole bill, or give it a favorable rating and send it back to the floor of the Senate for a 2nd reading and possible 3rd reading and vote.

June 22nd

The North Carolina House passed bill H-232 also called the "Budget Revenue Provisions 2001" act. There are all kinds of potential laws buried in this bill, but section 7 of it, is entitled
"MAKE BOXING COMMISSION INDEPENDENT/ADDITIONAL DUTIES."

The whole thing comes down to this. The NC Government is running short on the budget. In order to "save" money, someone decided to take the Boxing Commission out of the general fund and have it operate on it's own finances. Of course, boxing doesn't generate much money in North Carolina, so someone figured that wrestling must make tons of money so it should fund the Boxing Commission.

Well, anyone that promotes or participates in independent wrestling, knows that is not the case. It is a struggle just to keep a promotion going finacially. These outrageous fees will make it impossible for promoter's besides the WWF from promoting in North Carolina.

The WWF runs shows infrequently in Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh, and Fayetteville. They are never going to come to any "small" towns that currently enjoy indy wrestling. The WWF may choose to quit running these cities as well due to the high fees eliminating pro wrestling altogether from the state. Cities, vendors, and other companies that benefit from the additional revenues caused by pro wrestling shows will suffer losses as well.

The bill has generalizations that do not reflect the realities of how pro wrestling is promoted, and the bill likely will not raise revenue, rather it will eliminate pro wrestling. Additionally, the bill is so vague and poorly written as it relates to wrestling it is likely subject to legal actions.

If fact, several promoters have already approached legal counsel to prepare their lawsuits based on the poorly written bill.

What's worse, is that up coming talent will not be able to hone their skills to be the next WWF superstars. Matt and Jeff Hardy wrestled in every small town armory, rec center, high school gym there is in North Carolina. They developed their skills on the indy circuit that will be destroyed by this legislation.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Give 5 minutes of your time to save indy wrestling. Call your State Senator immediately. Tell him nicely and politely that you want him to represent you by stopping H-232 unless all provisions regarding pro wrestling are removed. Tell him that H-232 will eliminate pro wrestling from the state. Tell him that you are a fan and want to continue to see indy wrestling.
Ask him to please object to H-232.

I cannot stress how important it is to act now and to act politely. I have already
contacted my senator, Hugh Webster. His staff was fantastic about helping
derail this monster. Tell him thanks too!

The bill has to be read 3 times before a vote can occur.
The first reading is Monday - June 25 at 7:00pm.

Please call, FAX, and e-mail your objection to this bill.

Click below to find your State Senator, his phone numbers, and his e-mail address. Please note, all e-mails must have phone numbers or will be disregarded.

Senate Representation by District

Read the text of the bill for yourself here

House Bill 232

STOP H-232 POINT OF CONTACT

Promoters, wrestlers, fans, reporters... you can contact Jeff Rudd at

E-mail: stop232@go4star.com

This is what some genius in Raleigh projects that Sect. 7
will generate in new revenues:

(of course this doesn't mention the medical insurance that has to be purchased for every wrestler by the promoter, nor does it list the $5000 cash bond that has to be placed for an event. Coincidently, the "penalties" start at $5000.)

 Promoters

 28

 $8,400
 Officials (refs, announcers, etc.)

 584

 $29,200
 Contestants (wrestlers)

 2,590

 $64,750
 Permits (under 2000 att.)

 237

 $35,550
 Permits (2000-5000 att.)

 8

 $2,000
 Permits (over 5000 att.)

 5

 $1,750
 Civil Penalties  

 unknown
     

This Boxing Commission has a total budget of $217,454. Of that, $170,185 is used for salaries and benefits for three staff members, leaving $47,469 for operating costs. The total revenue generated in FY99-00, under the current fee structure, was $43,415. It is unclear how the Commission will generate the additional funds needed, since they will no longer receive a General Fund appropriation, and the current and new fees combined will not generate the amount of the current operating budget.

Makes you wonder how many $5000 bonds will be forfeited to make up those $56,000+ salaries that will come up short by their own projections.

And do we really have 2,590 wrestlers in North Carolina??? And 584 referees and announcers??? All working for 28 promoters?