HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 993        FILED ON: 1/14/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Rodney M. Elliott

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to prevent assaults on sports officials.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 993        FILED ON: 1/14/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1475 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act to prevent assaults on sports officials.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 265 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 13O. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following term shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meaning:

"Sports official", any individual who serves as a paid or volunteer referee, umpire or line judge, or who serves in similar capacity but may be known by a different title or name.

(b) If a person: (i) commits an assault or an assault and battery on a sports official immediately prior to, during or immediately following an interscholastic, intercollegiate or any other organized amateur or professional athletic contest in which the sports official is participating; and (ii) knows or reasonably should know that the sports official engaged in the performance of their duties, the person shall be punished by a fine of not less than $500 and not more than $5,000, or by imprisonment in a house of correction for not less than 90 days and not more than 21/2 years, or both.

(c) No person shall require a sports official to remain on the playing surface of an athletic contest after the expiration of any interscholastic, intercollegiate or any other organized amateur or sporting contest. Whoever violates the provisions of this subsection shall be punished by a fine of not more than $200 or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days.