NY State Senate Bill 2023-S5953

Senate Bill S5953

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Directs the state athletic commission to review the need for regulation and licensing of professional wrestling

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - Stricken

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

Please enter your contact information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

A valid email address is required.

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.

Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 06, 2024	recommit, enacting clause stricken
Jan 03, 2024	referred to cultural affairs, tourism, parks and recreation
Mar 23, 2023	referred to cultural affairs, tourism, parks and recreation

co-Sponsors

2023-S5953 (ACTIVE) - Details

Law Section:: General Business
Versions Introduced in 2025-2026 Legislative Session:: S5367

2023-S5953 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Directs the state athletic commission to review the need for regulation and licensing of professional wrestling.

2023-S5953 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S5953

SPONSOR: KENNEDY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act in relation to directing the state athletic commission to review
the need for regulation and licensing of professional wrestling; and
providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

 
PURPOSE:

This legislation would direct the state athletic commission to review
the need for regulation and licensing of professional wrestling.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 directs the state athletic commission to conduct a review of
the need for regulation of professional wrestling and develop recommen-
dations to the legislature regarding such regulation. This section also
sets a deadline of November 1, 2023 for the state athletic commission to
submit a report with its findings and recommendations.

Section 2 sets the effective date and deems the law repealed on July 1,
2024.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York State law defines professional wrestling as "an activity in
which participants struggle hand-in-hand primarily for the purpose of
providing entertainment to spectators and which does not comprise a
bonafide athletic contest or competition."

Wrestling promoters, most of whom are small and independent businesses,
have expressed significant concern regarding New York State's burdensome
and costly regulations to put on these entertainment events. They
contend that because of the choreographed nature of professional wrestl-
ing, their events should not have to carry the same insurance and safety
requirements as bonafide athletic contests and competitions.

This legislation requires a review of the state mandates for profes-
sional wrestling events by the state athletic commission and seeks poli-
cy recommendations that may ease the regulatory burden for putting on
these entertainment events.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New legislation

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed
repealed July 1, 2024.

2023-S5953 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5953
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 23, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. KENNEDY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism,
   Parks and Recreation
 
 AN ACT in relation to directing the state athletic commission to  review
   the  need  for regulation and licensing of professional wrestling; and
   providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. 1. The state athletic commission shall conduct a review of
 the need for regulation of professional wrestling, as defined in section
 one thousand seventeen of the general business law, in order to  develop
 recommendations  to the legislature regarding such regulation. In devel-
 oping its findings and recommendations, the  state  athletic  commission
 shall:
   (a) Consider the extent to which organizations that infrequently spon-
 sor or host a professional wrestling event require regulation;
   (b)  Consider the extent to which wrestling events that do not involve
 competition require regulation;
   (c) Examine the regulation of professional wrestling in other  states;
 and
   (d) Consult with professional wrestling participants, other stakehold-
 ers, and any entity or individual who may assist in identifying areas of
 concern regarding the safety of professional wrestlers and spectators.
   2.  By  November 1, 2023, the state athletic commission shall submit a
 report detailing its findings and recommendations under this section  to
 the appropriate committees of the legislature regarding:
   (a) The need for regulation of professional wrestling; and
   (b)  If some form of regulation is recommended, the minimum qualifica-
 tions and oversight required to meet the regulatory standard.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall  expire  and  be
 deemed repealed July 1, 2024.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10232-01-3

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Senate Bill S5953

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Timothy M. Kennedy