HF 2391

as introduced - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to professional sports stadium funding;
requiring implementation of certain drug testing
programs for players in sports facilities receiving
state funding.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin CITATION.
new text end

new text begin This act may be cited as the Clean Sports Act.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin PURPOSE.
new text end

new text begin The purpose of this act is to ensure that when professional
sports competitions are held in stadium facilities financed, in
whole or in part, with public funds, the participants in those
competitions will be subject to rigorous drug screening programs
and that any participant found to be in violation of state law
or league rules governing banned substances will be barred from
competition in the stadium facility.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin DEFINITIONS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Scope. new text end

new text begin For purposes of this act, the
terms in this section have the meanings given.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Banned substances. new text end

new text begin "Banned substances" means:
new text end

new text begin (1) substances which are illegal under state law;
new text end

new text begin (2) nonprescribed controlled substances; and
new text end

new text begin (3) substances which are banned by applicable professional
sports league rules.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Home team. new text end

new text begin "Home team" means the professional
sports team that plays its home games in a sports stadium
facility in Minnesota financed in whole or in part with public
funds.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Participants. new text end

new text begin "Participants" includes
professional sports players, whether employed by the home team
or any other team in the home team's league, but does not
include coaches, trainers, referees, umpires, administrative
personnel, or any other team employees not directly engaged in
athletic competition.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Professional sports stadium
facility. new text end

new text begin "Professional sports stadium facility" means a venue
for professional athletic competition financed, in whole or in
part, with public funds.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Public funds. new text end

new text begin "Public funds" means any state or
local government grant, contribution of personal property, real
property, infrastructure, the principal amount of a loan at
rates below those commercially available to the recipient, any
reduction or deferral of any tax or any fee, any guarantee of
any payment under any loan, lease, or other obligation, or any
preferential use of government facilities given to or for the
benefit of a professional sports team.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin LEASE OR USE AGREEMENTS; TERMS.
new text end

new text begin Prior to release of any public funds for any professional
sports stadium facility, the commissioner of finance must
determine that binding lease or use agreements in place for the
facility contain the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) a provision requiring a rigorous, random drug screening
program designed to detect the use of any banned substance by
participants in athletic competitions taking place in a stadium
facility;
new text end

new text begin (2) a provision requiring that any participant found to
have violated state law or league rules governing the use of any
banned substances will be immediately barred from competition in
the stadium; and
new text end

new text begin (3) a provision certifying that the home team has received
commitments from its national league that all teams in the
league will require participation in the stadium's drug
screening program and will accept the banning of players who
fail the stadium's drug screening.
new text end