Senate passes bill increasing punishments for assault and battery on sports officials

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Senate passed SB 531 on Monday, which relates to offenses of assault and battery on athletic officials in West Virginia.

The bill, which aims to protect referees and umpires from unruly parents, passed with a 33-1 vote.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Mike Stuart, R-Kanawha, says parents acting in a threatening manner towards officials is a problem that often rears its head in West Virginia.

“This is an important issue that has become too prevalent with respect to youth sports today,” Stuart said. “We’re letting emotions drive good, common-sense.”

“These games that are played on courts and fields and tracks have become blood sport in certain respects for the good people out there, simply trying to call balls and strikes,” Stuart said.

The bill changes the misdemeanor penalties in state code for assault and battery on an official.

For offenses of assault against an official, the current maximum fine is $500. Under the new legislation, the minimum fine will be between $500-$1,000, or confinement in jail for up to six months, or both, according to Stuart.

For offenses of battery against an official, the current maximum fine is $1,000. The new bill would see that penalty be a minimum fine of between $1,000-$2,000, or confinement in jail for up to 12 months, or both,

Senate Minority Leader Mike Woelfel, D-Cabel, says referees and umpires simply don’t get compensated well enough to be in these positions game in and game out.

“I was talking to a baseball umpire recently who said, ‘When I do Little League games, I might get paid with a corn dog.’ That’s not enough of a compensation to put up with these brutal parents who want to fight officials and threaten to meet them at their car and otherwise intimidate, much less attack,” Woelfel said.

Woelfel says there is already a shortage of umpires and referees nationwide, and he doesn’t want West Virginia youth sports leagues to end up like some in other states

“Some states have had to call off various athletic events for high school because they couldn’t get enough officials to even show up. We haven’t gotten to that point in West Virginia yet, but I think this is a good first step,” Woelfel said.