ASSAULT OF SPORTS OFFICIAL S.B. 31 (S-1) & 32 (S-1):
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 31 (Substitute S-1 as reported)
Senate Bill 32 (Substitute S-1 as reported)
CONTENT
Senate Bill 31 (S-1) would amend the Michigan Penal Code to prohibit and prescribe criminal penalties for assaulting, battering, or assaulting and battering a sports official.
Except as described below, it would be a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year's imprisonment and/or a maximum fine of $1,000, for a person to assault, batter, or assault and batter an individual performing his or her duties as a sports official immediately before, during, or after a sporting event, or at any other time if the action arose from the sports official's execution of his or her duty as an official.
A violation would be a felony punishable by up to two years' imprisonment and/or a maximum fine of $2,000, if it caused the sports official bodily injury requiring medical attention or medical care. A violation would be a felony punishable by up to five years' imprisonment and/or a fine of not less than $1,000 or more than $5,000, if it caused the sports official serious impairment of a body function. ("Serious impairment of a body function" would mean that term as defined in Section 58c of the Michigan Vehicle Code.)
The bill would not prohibit a person from being charged with, convicted of, or punished for any other violation of law arising out of the same transaction as the violation of the bill.
The bill would define "sports official" as an individual who officially administers or officially assists in administering the rules at any sporting event. "Sporting event" would mean an organized competitive athletic activity between two or more individuals.
Senate Bill 32 (S-1) would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure to add the felonies proposed by Senate Bill 31 (S-1) to the sentencing guidelines.
Assaulting or battering a sports official causing bodily injury would be a Class G felony against a person, with a statutory maximum sentence of two years' imprisonment. Assaulting or battering a sports official causing serious impairment of a body function would be a Class E felony against a person, with a statutory maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment.
The bills would take effect 90 days after their enactment. Senate Bill 32 (S-1) is tie-barred to Senate Bill 31.
Proposed MCL 750.81f (S.B. 31) Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter
MCL 777.16d (S.B. 32)
FISCAL IMPACT
The bills could result in a fiscal cost to the State's corrections budget. For any new felony convictions, in the short term, the marginal cost to State government would be approximately $4,100 per additional prisoner per year. Over the long term, the marginal cost to State government would be approximately $31,100 per additional prisoner per year. The new misdemeanor penalty could increase cost to local jails. With any increase in the number of cases, costs to local courts and law enforcement could increase. Additionally, any increase in collected fine revenue would be dedicated to public libraries.
Date Completed: 3-4-15 Fiscal Analyst: John Maxwell
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.