Two weeks left...

For those who were hoping that mixed martial arts legislation would get done in 2009 that idea has become fleeting at best. 

There are just fourteen days left in the current legislation session and the State Senate just imploded in a parliamentary debacle.  Two Democrats (both under investigation) joined Republicans to declare a new majority and introduce legislation changing the leadership structure.  One writer described it as a "coup d'etat" and said that it,  "revealed Albany for the madhouse it has become, with the lunatics firmly in charge of the asylum."

The rest of the Democrats are sure to launch a legal challenge, which, at the the very least, will take a week to resolve. That only leaves five days for the Senate to pass MMA legislation that is, if it were even there yet.  

Six days ago MMA legislation took a big step forward as it passed the Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports. This committee contained an prominent opponent of MMA, Bob Reilly. The bill has since moved on to the Codes Committee after which it will then move to the Ways and Means Committee. All of these committees are in the state Assembly not the Senate. So even if the bill miraculously passes the Assembly, the current lunacy in the Senate will prevent it from getting to the governor's desk. 

It now appears that MMA legislation will be stuck in legislative grid lock until 2010. 

WKR has been reporting the issues of New York for some time now (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)  namely how the six months legislative sessions were the real hurdle to overcome not Bob Reilly.

On June 22nd the legislature will go on recess until January 2010 unless a special session is called, an unlikely scenario for MMA legislation. 

New York MMA fans aare going to have to wait a little longer.