State Interps of FED rules
 

In the thread on going to the mouth IMO, the theme of

"Can States have their own FED interps" is a good discussion item and the theme for my thread.

As a HS Certified Official, I cannot work any HS games whether "official" or scrimmages with an umpire who is not at least HS Certified. If i do work with a non certified Official i will not be covered under the FED insurance policy.

Ok what has this to do with the price of bagels.

Let's assume NY State has THEIR own interp on a certain rule and for sake of argument I will pick FED's No malicious Contact Rule.

In addition Let's also assume that New York's interpretation of that rule is the same way as the NCAA No Collision rule.

Even though FED's No malicious Contact rule and the NCAA No Collison rule are similar they are not the same. From reading NCAA's No Collision Rule, the NCAA allows more contact than the FED ruling.

During the coaches and Umpire associating meetings the NCAA No Collision rule interp is conveyed to both the Coaches and umpires NOT the FED interp.

Subsequently a kid gets hurt and the parents sue.

My question?

Since NY State deviated from the FED interp, does NY State now have to "eat" whatever liability arrises, meaning FED's overall insurance policy will NOT cover NY state for whatever loss they sustain and the Schools and ultimately the tax payers would have to "foot the bill"

In Summary: My question concerns the Liability factor should a state have their own Interps not supported by the FED.

Thanks

Pete Booth

This would not be a state intepretation. This would be a modification. Reading the two rules, there is no way, without changing the language, one could be interpreted as the other.

More likely, a state would just say, "We're going with the NCAA rule." No problem.

If you are working in a state that has done that I doubt you would have any individual liability issue based on using their rule in their game. At least no more than usual.

You almost answered your own question.

The NF or NY insurance policy would not be enforced meaning you, the non-qualified official, and the schools would be held liable.
That's a lot of bagels. Stage Deli's are good.

I don't check my partner's credentials. That's a job for the assigner, and he is diligent about it.

I call games as the state directs. I don't believe there are any safety related modifications. The only modifications I can think of are about ejections vs. disqualifications and about how to handle games that have not reached complete games status yet when the game is called, which is often a conference ruling.

State insurance purchase is required by the state, and I also buy ABUA insurance.