SECTION 1. Chapter 265 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following section: -

Section 13O.  (a) As used in this chapter the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:

''Serious bodily injury'', bodily injury which results in a permanent disfigurement, protracted loss or impairment of a bodily function, limb or organ, or substantial risk of death.

"Sporting event", an organized competitive athletic activity between 2 or more individuals.

"Sports official", an individual who officially administers or officially assists in administering the rules at any sporting event, including, but not limited to, a referee.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person who assaults, batters, or assaults and batters an individual who performs his or her duties as a sports official immediately before, during, or after a sporting event, or at any other time if the assault, battery, or assault and battery directly arises from the sports official's execution of his or her duty as a sports official, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both.

(c) A person who assaults, batters, or assaults and batters an individual who performs his or her duties as a sports official immediately before, during, or after a sporting event, or at any other time if the assault, battery, or assault and battery arises from the sports official's execution of his or her duty as a sports official, causing the individual bodily injury requiring medical attention or medical care, is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 2 years or a fine of not more than $2,000.00, or both.

(d) A person who assaults, batters, or assaults and batters an individual who performs his or her duties as a sports official immediately before, during, or after a sporting event, or at any other time if the assault, battery, or assault and battery arises from the sports official's execution of his or her duty as a sports official, causing the individual serious impairment of a body function, is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a fine of not less than $1,000.00 or more than $5,000.00, or both.

(f) This section does not prohibit a person from being charged with, convicted of, or punished for any other violation of law arising out of the same transaction as the violation of this section.

(g) An entity that owns or operates a facility at which an individual performs duties as a sports official shall post a sign in that facility that includes the text of subsections (1) to (3) and, if requested by a sports official, shall provide an escort. An entity that violates this subsection is responsible for a state civil infraction and may be ordered to pay a civil fine of not more than $500.00.