Community Protection in Sports Act of 2021

I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 2504 To provide to localities injured by the cancellation or relocation, without good cause, of a scheduled organized professional major league team competition by a league of organized professional major league baseball teams, or a member of such league. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 14, 2021 Mr. CARTER of Georgia (for himself, Mr. HICE of Georgia, and Mr. DUNCAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on En- ergy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To provide to localities injured by the cancellation or reloca- tion, without good cause, of a scheduled organized pro- fessional major league team competition by a league of organized professional major league baseball teams, or a member of such league. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Community Protection 4 in Sports Act of 2021’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:06 Jun 07, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2504.IH H2504 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 2504 IH SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 1 The Congress finds the following: 2 (1) Events put on by organized professional 3 major league baseball leagues outside of the regular 4 season of competition provide unique economic bene- 5 fits to local economies. 6 (2) Localities must spend money in preparation 7 for special events that bring in thousands of visitors 8 from across the country and the world. 9 (3) The cancellation or relocation of such events 10 without good cause results in a significant loss of 11 revenue for local businesses that would have other- 12 wise benefited from hosting an event. 13 SEC. 3. UNLAWFUL CONDUCT. 14 It shall be unlawful for a league of organized profes- 15 sional major league baseball teams, or a member of such 16 league, to cancel or relocate a team competition composed 17 of 2 or more organized professional major league baseball 18 teams if such competition is not part of the regular season 19 competition schedule of such league and if the cancellation 20 or relocations of such competition is not a reasonable re- 21 sponse to— 22 (1) a pandemic, 23 (2) a natural disaster, 24 (3) inclement weather, or 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:06 Jun 07, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2504.IH H2504 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 2504 IH (4) an emergency declared by the Federal Gov- 1 ernment or by the State in which such competition 2 is scheduled to occur before the applicable cancella- 3 tion or relocation. 4 SEC. 4. PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION; CIVIL ACTION. 5 (a) LIABILITY.—A league of organized professional 6 major league baseball teams, a member of such league, 7 or both that cancel or relocate a team competition in viola- 8 tion of section 3 shall be liable to the locality injured by 9 such violation. 10 (b) CIVIL ACTION.—A locality that is injured by a 11 violation of section 3 may commence a civil action for 12 damages in an appropriate district court of the United 13 States, or in a State court of competent jurisdiction, with- 14 in 4 years after the cause of action accrues. 15 SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 16 For purposes of this Act: 17 (1) LOCALITY.—The term ‘‘locality’’ means a 18 county, parish, city, town, township, village, or other 19 general purpose political subdivision of a State with 20 the power to levy taxes and to expend Federal, 21 State, and local funds and exercise governmental 22 powers. 23 (2) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means a State, 24 the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:06 Jun 07, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2504.IH H2504 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 2504 IH Puerto Rico, and any other territory or possession of 1 the United States. 2 SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. 3 This Act shall take effect January 1, 2021. 4 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:06 Jun 07, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H2504.IH H2504 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS