There are no laws in Connecticut concerning attacks on sports officials. If this act gets passed, it will make an attack on a sports official a felony. Then, just maybe, Mark Padgett will move back to the Nutmeg State.

<B>AN ACT CONCERNING THE ASSAULT OF A SPORTS OFFICIAL.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2005) (a) For the purposes of this section, "sports official" means any person who officiates or enforces the rules at an amateur or professional sporting or athletic event including, but not limited to, an umpire, referee, judge, timekeeper and scorer.

(b) A person is guilty of assault of a sports official when such person, with intent to intimidate or harass, or to retaliate against, another person on account of the performance by such other person of such other person's duties as a sports official, causes physical injury to such other person.

(c) Assault of a sports official is a class C felony.



This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:

Section 1


October 1, 2005


New section

Statement of Purpose:

To make the assault of an umpire, referee or other sports official a class C felony.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]

Co-Sponsors:


REP. LABRIOLA, 131st Dist. </B>

The next problem would be finding judges that would actually enforce the law if it was passed. Coughpennsylvaniacough.

I am originally from the Chicago area, not Connecticut, although I did spend a week there one night. ;)

Hey winter... Are you from CT. That is where I am and we discussed this at our meeting yesterday. We are all going to email our representatives and let them know they need to pass this. We also have someone on our board that does professional lobbying and is going to testify on behalf of our board at the hearings.

Great point JR. That I believe is the same law Illinois has, but again, doesn't matter how many laws are on the books, doesn't do a damn thing if you don't enforce them.