BILL NUMBER: S5363

SPONSOR: OBERACKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the state law, in relation to designating baseball as
the official sport of the state of New York

 
PURPOSE:

To designate baseball as the official sport of New York State.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends chapter 6 of the state law to include section 91,
designating baseball as the official sport of the state of New York.
Section 2 states the effective date.

 
EXISTING LAW:

              

Currently, the state law of New York does not define any official state
sport.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Chapter 6 of the state law of New York includes within it various
provisions designating the "official ____  of the state" such as tree,
fresh-water fish, shell, insect, and even muffin. However, there is
currently no mention of any official state sport. New York State has so
many connections with the sport of baseball, most notably housing the
official Baseball Hall of Fame located in Cooperstown. This historical
attraction lures tourists from around the world, honoring the greatest
teams and players in the game (56 players from 5 New York teams alone).
Baseball was, it is believed, founded in Cooperstown by Abner Doubleday,
and New York offers a "Birthplace of Baseball" license plate.

Aside from this attraction, baseball has always been known to be as
American as apple pie. It is a sport loved and watched on by many, and
this legislation is a means of honoring all that this iconic sport has
done for the people of New York since its origination in Cooperstown in
1839.

This legislation came as a proposal by Cooperstown Elementary School's
2015-16 fourth grade class.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

S.4288 of 2017-2018, passed senate.
S.3935/A.6654 of 2019-2020, Gov't. Operations

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the state.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.