In continuing my coverage of the efforts to legalize MMA in New York, I reached out to Assemblyman Bing to discuss the current status of these efforts. For my past posts on this topic click here.
At the outset, Assemblyman Bing acknowledged that the standalone bill to legalize MMA, which had passed the Senate, was for all intents and purposes stalled and would need to be re-introduced next year and again begin its progression through the committee process.
On the budget side, Assemblyman Bing explained that the Legislature, i.e. the Assembly and the Senate, agreed on the expenditure side of the budget based on the Governor's proposed budget with certain added expenditures. Because of the added expenditures, the Governor vetoed the Legislature's proposal.
On the revenue side, which is where MMA would fall, the Assembly and Senate agreed to exclude the provision lifting the ban on MMA. The Assembly has passed the revenue portion -- the Senate has not yet.
Given that the Governor vetoed the Legislature's proposed budget, there will be further negotiation on the budget and there is, therefore, a small possibility that the ultimate budget will still include a provision legalizing MMA.
That said, the fact that the Senate -- despite having passed the standalone bill legalizing MMA -- agreed with the Assembly to keep MMA out of the revenue side of the budget does not bode well for MMA this year. Bottom line, MMA in New York for this year is not completely dead, but it is highly unlikely.
I also discussed certain of MMA opponents' proclaimed objections to legalizing MMA, including claims that legalizing MMA in New York will detrimentally increase children's' exposure to the sport and that it is a dangerous and potentially fatal sport.
With respect to the argument concerning exposure to children, Assemblyman Bing reiterated that MMA is now on network television (as well as PPV and regular cable) and that kids can take a short train ride to New Jersey to see live fights and so any exposure argument is not really credible.
Moreover, Assemblyman Bing stressed that the disciplines of MMA have been around and recognized for a very long time, have been taught, and many are Olympic sports, and that they promote discipline and self-respect in children and combat childhood obesity.
With respect to the second argument that MMA is dangerous, aside from all of the comparative arguments, i.e. that other sports have a higher incidence of injury and casualty, legalizing and then regulating MMA in New York will actually likely reduce the incidence of injury arising from MMA because it will, in part at least, displace illegal, underground MMA occurring in the state and will give the state -- in particular the New York State Athletic Commission -- additional leverage to combat underground fight clubs and prevent unsanctioned bouts.
As I did for Senator Krueger, I invited Assemblyman Bing to debate these issue (and others) with other politicians and he said he was willing to do so.
I want to thank Assemblyman Bing for his time and wish him good luck on his reelection campaign. New York needs more politicians that objectively and reasonably approach the issues facing the state.
I will continue to monitor.
Fight Lawyer
