Update on MMA in New York legislation
Jay Hieron, right, defeated Rick Hawn at Bellator 43 to win the Season 4 welterweight tournament at First Council Casino in Newkirk, Okla. (May 7, 2011) Credit: Bellator/Eric Coleman
Looks like you'll have to wait at least another week for movement on Bill No. A-04146. You know, the legislation that would legalize mixed martial arts in the state of New York.
The bill passed the Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development Committee on Monday and is in the Codes committee of the state Assembly now. They're not scheduled to meet on things until next week, committee chairman Joseph Lentol (D-Brooklyn) said.
Should it pass through Codes, as it did last summer, the bill goes to the Ways and Means Committee, where it stalled last time.
“I’ve been in favor of it, and I expect that it will be passed again," Lentol said. “For New York State to ignore this type of mixed martial arts is a mistake, especially in this economy where we should be looking for something that has been in practice in all of the states around New York.
“To keep it underground makes no sense to me. We should regulate it.”
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