What's happening
This bill requires professional sports teams in New York to provide cheerleaders with the same employee rights and protections as other team employees.
Why it matters
Addresses longstanding issues of pay and workplace protections for cheerleaders. , who have historically been classified as independent contractors, often excluding them from minimum wage, overtime pay, and anti-discrimination protections that other employees receive.
Expands the legal definition of “cheerleader”. to include not only traditional cheerleading but also dance, gymnastics, ice skating, and similar performances, ensuring broad coverage for various entertainment roles within professional sports teams.
Places new compliance obligations on professional sports teams. , potentially increasing labor costs and administrative duties, but also signaling a commitment to fair labor practices and equity within sports organizations.
Could serve as a precedent for similar protections in other states or industries. , potentially inspiring broader labor rights reforms for entertainment and gig-economy workers beyond New York.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Protect Cheerleaders as Employees
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 25
24 Co-sponsors
- Carmen E. Arroyo
- Michael Blake
- Harry B. Bronson
- Michael Cusick
- Maritza Davila
- Carmen De La Rosa
- Michael DenDekker
- Patricia Fahy
- Andrew Hevesi
- Pamela J. Hunter
- Alicia Hyndman
- Donna Lupardo
- Felix Ortiz
- Victor M. Pichardo
- Crystal Peoples-Stokes
- Dan Quart
- Linda Rosenthal
- Rebecca Seawright
- Jo Anne Simon
- Michaelle C. Solages
- Kenneth Zebrowski
- David McDonough
- Michael Montesano
- Monica P. Wallace
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to labor
- Referred to labor
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Give Cheerleaders Worker Protections
In Senate Committee · Labor · Sponsor Diane J. Savino
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
327
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ROZIC, ARROYO, BLAKE, BRONSON, CUSICK, DAVILA, DE LA ROSA, DenDEKKER, FAHY, HEVESI, HUNTER, HYNDMAN, LUPARDO, ORTIZ, PICHARDO, PEOPLES-STOKES, QUART, L. ROSENTHAL, SEAWRIGHT, SIMON, SOLAGES, ZEBROWSKI, McDONOUGH, MONTESANO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. GLICK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Labor
AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to establishing the cheerleaders' fair pay act
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The labor law is amended by adding a new section 219-d to read as follows:
§ 219-d. Application to cheerleaders. 1. A professional sports team based in this state that employs professional athletes who have entered into professional sports-services contracts, as defined by subdivision eight of section eight hundred ninety-nine-a of the general business law, and that utilizes the services of cheerleaders during its exhibitions or games, shall provide such cheerleaders with all of the rights, benefits and protections conferred to its employees by this chapter for all services provided for the benefit of the team.
2. For the purposes of this section, "cheerleader" means an individual who performs acrobatics, dance, gymnastic exercises, ice skating, or other performances in promotion of a professional sports franchise identified in subdivision one of this section.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01110-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.