One step forward in the world of mixed martial arts today as the New York Senate voted 42-18 in favor of Bill S1707A, but with the sport having reached this precipice previously, MMA fans should remain cautiously optimistic. Assembly bill A04146 is the the New York State Assembly’s version of the the same legislature passed today in the Senate, but has remained inactive since February. No vote is currently been scheduled on that legislation.
Several Senators today took the floor to speak in favor of the sport, including Senator Kevin Parker, who cited the safety record of MMA in comparison to other sports, while also clarifying that much of the brutality described by those against regulation in New York date back to a time before the institution of the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts.
Parker also explained that approving regulation would actually allow the government to add in additional safeguards should it be so inclined. And of course, the financial benefit of regulation was also addressed, and Parker alerted this fellow Senators to the millions of dollars in tax revenue being lost to nearby markets for a sport that New Yorkers can quite easily view on cable TV and pay-per-view. (Credit: MMA Junkie)
The legislative session ends June 20th, so if you’re a resident of New York and want to see the sport of MMA in your state, contact your Assembly member and urge them to pass A04146
