Licensing alert for Martial Artists and Martial Arts schools

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Alan K
Posts: 493
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2000 6:01 am
Location: Framingham, MA USA

Licensing alert for Martial Artists and Martial Arts schools

Post by Alan K »

The large associations such as the NRA and ARRL, represent firearms users and amateur radio operators, respectively, have help saved their constituents, from literal extinction and have problems even though, well funded.

MA's need to become active proponents of self ruling by first having a mission statement and game plan. Sitting back and let the other guy do it results in disaster.

In any event, this is the alert and the discussion:

Sensei Jay Sahalnick, alerted me by email and others of the IUKF group of an impending licensing of Martial Arts Schools and the credentials of the teachers.

From: Alan Kunian <a.kunian@gbgatlaw.com>
To: Jay Salhanick <jsalhanick@stopandshop.com>
Cc: <gmattson@uechi-ryu.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2003 5:41 PM
Subject: Re: Question


> Hi, Jay, GEM and the IUKF Gang
>
> This means that the bill was read to the legislature, who asked for
guidance
> prior to presentation to the legislature to examine and vote on.
>
> I can well remember GEM's position years ago, and it did not fly well with
> some seniors.
>
> If you are going to be licensed anyway it is certainly better to begin now
> to attack the beast.
>
> If you don't, someone else will and it could be a kid out of law school
> attached to the AG"s office whose only trauma suffered was a kick in the
ass in the school yard.
>
> Jay has the right idea and it appears to be a big job; but you know
> legislators are eager to have people in the field prepare suggested
> regulations. The Legislature in this bill seems to have given or will
give
> some administrative body the right to promulgate regulation and
registration
> of owners, sensei, and what must be necessary to prove authenticity or
> credentials
> for someone to teach or own a martial arts school.
>
> The IUKF has the credentials and the talent to document the education and
> issue certificates to individuals or perhaps even schools. I know from
> past experience that active organizations by suggesting, rules and
> regulations can come up with educational lesson plans, and rules and
> regulations which any legitimate martial arts school should abide by.
>
> That with good spokes persons can make the difference of being regulated
by
> ignorami who know as much about martial arts as I do about brain surgery.
>
> The next step in a perfect world would be to hire lobbyist(s) to educate
the
> legislature about our cause and reasons therefore. That phase can be
> expensive but may be very effective.
>
> So here we are after organizing the IUKF and still perfecting our own
rules
> and regulations and that of our judges for events, now faced with the
> possibility of strict regulation.
>
> As an example, Mitt Romney, now governor of Massachusetts, looking for
money,
> has gotten the legislature to increase filing fees for recordings with an
> emergency preamble of making the hike effective on March 1, 2003,
>
> All the states are short of money and what may be a windfall for them is
to
> hike fees, and the more licensed, the more the fees.
>
> My message is that if they get wind of what NY is doing, MA and other
states
> may follow.
>
> I will be happy to work with you guys on this, but feel humbled when it
> comes to the qualifications, where we have, literally, a harvest of
> qualified MA's who can put on the old thinking hat.
>
> It would be great.
>
> Alan K
>

Sensei Mattson is eager to get support in the quest to meet the challenge, and if necessary be the proponents of rules and regulations rather than opponents. In my 48 years plus of practice I have seen horrid and crippling legislation emerge, which could have been modified so that the affected licensees could live and even benefit from it.

A few basics as to what is needed consists of a strong fairly large group or organization which has the ability to gather its technical data and supply the legislature with help in the drafting of the rules and regulations. The group would need impressive credentials to back their allegations and submissions and essentially lobby for the proposed legislation we can live with.
Sometimes lobbyists are often portrayed as con artists hired to do a job. The fact is that legislators welcome lobbyists to educate them in the subject matter; and for sure the professional lobbyists will wine and dine, but they get their point across.
When funds are not available, organizational proponents can supply the arguments and the requested rules of self regulation.

One cannot afford to stand by and as the old adage says, let George do it. (pun intended).

GEM can certainly be a guiding force, but we need organizational input to do the work.

IUKF is certainly capable from the stand-point size and talent. Other organizations can also do well to assist. The more the merrier to some extent but conflicting submissions will confuse the legislature.

I can only speak for the IUKF, and am certain that if the moderators on these forums put this information on their forums, we can start a quest to battle impending legislation in your neck of the woods.

Once again, this type of legislation has many purposes such as placating angry people who have been ripped off by alleged teachers who have no talent or credentials or legislators seeing away to generate license fees to go into the state coffers. and further to make points for re-election.

Sensei Sahalnick has done an amazing job of drafting rules and regulations for the IUKF, including the teaching and requirements for tournament judges, but only after receiving the input of the many talented IUKF.

He is the one that alerted us to this crisis and I am sure that he would volunteer to help head a new committee to begin this task.

Alan K
"The Goddess of Justice is Blind"
Gene DeMambro
Posts: 1684
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 1998 6:01 am
Location: Weymouth, MA US of A

Post by Gene DeMambro »

Where can we learn more about the bills pending in the State Legislature?

Gene
Alan K
Posts: 493
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2000 6:01 am
Location: Framingham, MA USA

Post by Alan K »

Hi Gene:

I just reviewed my post and see that I omitted the Message from Jay Salhnick regrading the fact that this legislation is pending in New York.

I am not sure that there is a website in Massachusetts which would give free information of impending or filed legislation.

Many years ago, when the office that i was with, represented a mortgage lending group, I used to walk over to the State House once a week, and would be able to obtain copies.

The gun group may have more import on obtaining proposed and passed legislation.

If I find out, I will post it on this forum.

Alan K
"The Goddess of Justice is Blind"
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