House File 136HOUSE FILE BY STRUYK, HUSER, R. OLSON, TOMENGA, and MERTZ Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act enhancing the penalty for a simple misdemeanor assault 2 against a sports official. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1505YH 82 5 jm/sh/8 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 708.2D ASSAULT AGAINST A SPORTS 1 2 OFFICIAL. 1 3 1. A person who commits a simple misdemeanor assault, as 1 4 described in section 708.2, against a sports official, within 1 5 the confines or immediate area of the athletic facility or 1 6 field at which an athletic contest is being or has recently 1 7 been held in which the sports official took an active 1 8 officiating role, is guilty of a serious misdemeanor. 1 9 2. For purposes of this section, a "sports official" means 1 10 any person who serves as a referee, umpire, linesman, or other 1 11 similar official at any athletic contest, and who is a 1 12 registered member of a local, state, regional, or national 1 13 organization which is engaged, in part, in providing education 1 14 and training related to officiating such athletic contests. 1 15 EXPLANATION 1 16 This bill enhances the penalty for a simple misdemeanor 1 17 assault against a sports official. 1 18 The bill provides that a person who commits a simple 1 19 misdemeanor assault against a person who is officiating an 1 20 athletic contest or against a person who has officiated in an 1 21 athletic contest, where the assault occurs within the confines 1 22 or immediate vicinity of the athletic facility or field where 1 23 the athletic contest is being or was held, is guilty of a 1 24 serious misdemeanor. 1 25 A serious misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no 1 26 more than one year and a fine of at least $315 but not more 1 27 than $1,875. 1 28 LSB 1505YH 82 1 29 jm:rj/sh/8