To apply the antitrust laws of the United States to major league baseball .

January 4, 1995

Mr. BUNNING of Kentucky (for himself and Mr. BILIRAKIS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

To apply the antitrust laws of the United States to major league baseball .

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Baseball Fans and Communities Protection Act of 1995'.

SEC. 2. APPLICATION OF THE ANTITRUST LAWS TO MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL IN EXCEPTIONAL AND EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES.

The Clayton Act (15 U.S.C. 12 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`SEC. 27. (a) If unilateral terms and conditions of employment in restraint of trade or commerce are imposed by any party that has been subject to an agreement between 2 or more major league baseball clubs and the labor organization representing the players of major league baseball , such unilateral imposition shall be subject to the antitrust laws.

`(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to a term or condition imposed solely with respect to a professional baseball player who is a party to a uniform player contract that is assigned, at the time the imposition described in such subsection occurs, to a baseball club that is not a major league professional baseball club.

`(c) This section shall not be construed to modify, impair, or supersede the operation of--

`(1) the Act of September 30, 1961 (Public Law 87-331; 15 U.S.C. 1291 et seq.), or

`(2) any Federal statute relating to labor relations.

`(d) For purposes of this section, the term `terms and conditions' does not include a strike or a lockout.'.