Revision: May 30, 2024, 3:20 p.m.
SB 327-FN - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES
2May2024... 1449h
2024 SESSION
24-2938
09/08
SENATE BILL 327-FN
AN ACT providing penalties for the assault or harassment of sports officials.
SPONSORS: Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20; Sen. Gannon, Dist 23; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. Pearl, Dist 17; Sen. Ricciardi, Dist 9; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. Murphy, Dist 16; Sen. Ward, Dist 8; Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Rep. Luneau, Merr. 9; Rep. Heath, Hills. 41; Rep. Goley, Hills. 21; Rep. Cornell, Hills. 22; Rep. Long, Hills. 23
COMMITTEE: Judiciary
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ANALYSIS
This bill permits courts to impose a ban on individuals convicted of certain offenses against a sports official from participating in sports events in this state for a specified amount of time.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
2May2024... 1449h 24-2938
09/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four
AN ACT providing penalties for the assault or harassment of sports officials.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; Assault and Related Offenses; Harm or Threats to Sports Officials. Amend RSA 631 by inserting after section 4-a the following new section:
631:4-b Harm or Threats to Sports Officials.
I. In this section:
(a) "Discharge of the sports official's duties" begins at the time the sports official arrives at the field of play or immediate vicinity and ends when the sports official has left the field of play or immediate vicinity.
(b) "Field of play or immediate vicinity" means any field, court, stadium, park, or other venue designated for a sports event, or the parking lot, hallways, spectator areas, or pathways providing access to and from the field, court, stadium, park, or venue.
(c) "Participant" means any person acting as a spectator, coach, administrator, or player at a sports event.
(d) "Sports event" means any organized amateur or professional athletic contest in the state.
(e) "Sports official" means a person at a sports event who enforces the rules of the event, such as an umpire, referee, timer, or scorer, regardless of whether the person is paid or provides his or her services as an unpaid volunteer.
II. Any person who commits first degree assault under RSA 631:1, second degree assault under RSA 631:2, simple assault under RSA 631:2-a, reckless conduct under RSA 631:3, criminal threatening under RSA 631:4, stalking under RSA 633:3-a, criminal mischief under RSA 634:2, or harassment under RSA 644:4, against a sports official engaged in the discharge of the sports official's duties on the field of play or immediate vicinity shall be guilty of the offense of harming or threatening a sports official and subject to the punishment prescribed for the underlying offense.
III. In addition, the court may prohibit any person convicted of an offense under this section from acting as a participant at a sports event within this state for any period of time the court deems reasonable, up to and including life, except that the court shall not prohibit a person from acting as a participant at a sports event for more than 12 months for a first offense. Any person violating such order may, in addition to being held in criminal contempt of court or subject to a probation violation, if applicable, be fined in the amount of $1,000 in any court of competent jurisdiction for each violation of the order.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2025.
24-2938
Amended 5/6/24
SB 327-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT #2024-1449h)
AN ACT providing penalties for the assault or harassment of sports officials.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ X ] County [ X ] Local [ ] None
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Estimated State Impact - Increase / (Decrease) | ||||||
| FY 2024 | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | ||
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Revenue Fund | None | |||||
Expenditures | Indeterminable | |||||
Funding Source | General Fund | |||||
Appropriations | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source | None | |||||
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Estimated Political Subdivision Impact - Increase / (Decrease) | ||||||
| FY 2024 | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | ||
County Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
County Expenditures | Indeterminable | |||||
Local Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Local Expenditures | Indeterminable | |||||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill adds, deletes, or modifies a criminal penalty, or changes statute to which there is a penalty for violation. Therefore, this bill may have an impact on the judicial and correctional systems, which could affect prosecution, incarceration, probation, and parole costs, for the state, as well as county and local governments. A summary of such costs can be found at: https://gencourt.state.nh.us/lba/Budget/Fiscal_Notes/JudicialCorrectionalCosts.pdf
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Judicial Branch, Judicial Council, Department of Justice, Department of Corrections, New Hampshire Association of Counties, and New Hampshire Municipal Association