CLEAR

Wisconsin moves closer to regulating mixed martial arts

The Wisconsin Senate has approved a bill to regulate mixed martial arts fights with a vote of 32-0.  Proposed regulations would require fights to be overseen by a licensed referee and four licensed judges. A doctor and an ambulance would also need to be present, while fighters must have proof of health insurance.

Promoters  would face an annual $500 fee together with a nonrefundable $300 fee per application per event. Event and gate fees would be capped at a maximum of $12,500. The legislation will now be considered by the Wisconsin Assembly.

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New Zealand introduces new regulatory regime for auditors

The New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants will be required to regulate auditors as a specialist profession rather than as chartered accountants, in plans announced by the government. Oversight of the process will be provided by The Accounting Standards Review Board, which will have monitoring and reporting authority, together with an option to direct that the Institute addresses any shortcomings in the way it regulates.

Existing arrangements allow a chartered accountant with a Certificate of Public Practice to conduct an audit without restriction. The new regulatory arrangements are likely to come into effect in 2012.

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WMA President: "45 percent of physicians in advanced state of burnout"

Dr. Dana Hanson, president of the World Medical Association, suggested today that45 per cent of physicians are in an advanced state of burn out, and that the figure for developing countries is even higher.  In remarks to the The Global Forum of Health Leaders conference in Taipei, Taiwan, Dr. Hanson called for governments and the profession to work harder to remove the stigma of stress and address the pressures on physicians.

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Massachusetts: lawmakers considering regulation of mixed martial arts

The Massachusetts Senate and House have voted in favor of legalizing and regulating ultimate fighting, or mixed martial arts. The bill would expand the state Boxing Commission by adding a specialist in mixed martial arts. The Commission would license and regulate fighters and promoters. The sport is currently regulated in 37 states.

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EU: compliance with Directive on the recognition of professional qualifications

The European Commission will send letters of formal notice to Belgium, France, Luxembourg, and the United Kingdom regarding their failure to notify the Commission of measures they have taken to comply with the Directive on recognition of professional qualifications.  The Directive simplifies the structure of the system of recognition of professional qualifications in order to facilitate professional mobility. A fine could be imposed on these members states.

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Illinois: regulation changes proposed for cemetary workers

Proposed legislation in Illinois would require background checks, licensing and registration for cemetary owners and some types of cemetary employees. The legislation was put forth after a cemetary scandal involving the desecration of as many as 300 graves.

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Florida: changes to contractors' license look-up

Recently passed legislation eliminating the Qualified Business license for construction companies will make it easier for consumers to verify if a contractor is licensed. Consumers will only need to enter a contractor's first and last name in order to search online; the name of the business will no longer be necessary.

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Australia: water brokers call for regulation

Water brokers in Australia are calling for better regulation of their industry. Water trading involves the buying and selling of water access entitlements, or water rights, particularly within the farming sector. Waterfind, a national water broker, calls for licensing of water brokers and the establishment of other standards.

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Wisconsin: changes proposed to "opt-out" law

An "opt-out" law passed in 2000 allows license holders to request that their names not be included in lists that marketers and the public can acquire. The law was intended to protect drivers' and hunters' personal information, but in practice it also made it more difficult for the public to obtain information about professional license holders. A proposed revision to the bill would still allow professional license holders to opt out of release of information such as Social Security numbers, phone and address, but name, city and zip code would not be subject to the opt out.

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England: trade union calls for registration of nannies

A report published by the Children's Workforce Development Council finds that more than 80% of nannies in England feel that their profession is not given sufficient recognition by the general public. The trade union Voice has called for nannies to be added to Ofsted's (Office for Standards in Education, Child's Services and Skills) compulsory register for childcare workers.

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