ASSAULT OF SPORTS OFFICIAL S.B. 31 & 32:
SUMMARY OF INTRODUCED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
Senate Bills 31 and 32 (as introduced 1-27-15)
CONTENT
Senate Bill 31 would amend the Michigan Penal Code to prohibit and prescribe a felony penalty for assaulting, battering, or assaulting and battering a sports official or soliciting or encouraging another to do so.
Senate Bill 32 would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure to add the felony proposed by Senate Bill 31 to the sentencing guidelines.
Senate Bill 31 would take effect 90 days after its enactment. Senate Bill 32 is tie-barred to Senate Bill 31.
Senate Bill 31
Under the bill, it would be a felony punishable by up to three years' imprisonment, a maximum fine of $10,000, or both, for a person to assault, batter, or assault and batter, or to solicit or encourage another person to assault, batter, or assault and batter an individual who was performing his or her duties as a sports official either while at a sporting event or through social media.
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 does either of the following:
-- Officially administers or officially assists in administering the rules at any sporting event.
-- Coaches or assists in coaching individuals involved in any sporting event.
"Sporting event" would mean either of the following:
-- An organized competitive athletic activity between two or more individuals.
-- An event that is conducted before or after an athletic activity to recognize or celebrate that activity or to recognize or celebrate one or more individuals involved in the activity.
Senate Bill 32
Under the bill, assaulting or battering a sports official would be a Class F felony against a person, with a statutory maximum sentence of three years' imprisonment.
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. With any increase in the number of felony cases, costs to local courts and law enforcement could increase. Additionally, any increase in collected fine revenue would be dedicated to public libraries.
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.