MMA Bill In New York Assembly Reportedly Dying In Committee

Bad news on the fight to have mixed martial arts legalized and sanctioned in the state of New York. According to Justin Klein (the “Fight Lawyer” and New York resident), the bill to get MMA legalized in the New York Assembly (A04146) is stalling in the Ways & Means Committee. Here’s the essence of his report:

Klein argues there’s been significantly more vocal support for bill approval this year, and that’s true. There’s also been growth on the legislative vote front, meaning a clear majority of lawmakers would likely vote to sanction MMA were it to reach the Assembly floor. However, given parliamentary rules and entrenched power, such a possibility seems remote.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver made public comments yesterday that he believed the bill to legalize mixed martial arts (MMA) that’s moving it’s way through Assembly committees in the state of New York lacks the support it needs for full passage. Even though fellow Assembly members are dismayed at Silver’s clear attempt to torpedo the bill, that doesn’t mean he won’t:

But can he kill the bill before it even reaches the Assembly floor? Even if all of the committees approve the bill, he can still prevent the larger legislative body from weighing-in on the issue? Yes. Yes, he can:

According to multiple reports, a bill calling for the legalization of mixed martial arts in the state of New York is traveling through the channels of the New York state Assembly. By a vote of 17-3, the bill passed through the Tourism, Parks, Arts, and Sports Development Committee. Rep. Bob Reilly, noted opponent of MMA legalization, sits on that committee. The bill now travels to the Codes Committee and ultimately to the Ways and Means committee. Should it pass committee vote, the bill them moves to the Assembly floor. If that vote passes, it then moves to the Governor’s desk for signature.

Some experts predict the effort will fail in the Ways & Means Committe. This is where the bill has stalled in previous efforts due in part to the committee’s composition. There are, however, a number of Assembly members asking the Speaker to push the bill directly to the floor now that the bill has easily passed the Tourism Committee.

The New York State Senate voted today to pass bill S. 1707A, which would effectively reverse the ban on the sport of mixed martial arts and put the state’s athletic commission in charge of overseeing both amateur and professional contests. The bill passed by a vote of 42-18. Before the bill becomes law, it must also pass in the State Assembly via the Ways and Means Committee, a much tougher proposition given the opposition.

This is not the first time a bill attempting to legalize MMA in New York has passed the state Senate. Bill S2165B passed the State Senate in June of 2010 by a vote of 32-26. Previous attempts also failed in 2009 and 2008.