H 3621 General Bill, By Harvin
 A BILL TO AMEND CHAPTER 7, TITLE 52, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO AMUSEMENTS AND ATHLETIC CONTESTS AND STATE AND COUNTY ATHLETIC
 COMMISSIONS, BY ADDING ARTICLE 7 SO AS TO MAKE IT A MISDEMEANOR OFFENSE TO
 PHYSICALLY ASSAULT A SPORTS OFFICIAL AT ANY LEVEL OF COMPETITION WITHIN THE
 CONFINES OR IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE ATHLETIC FACILITY AT WHICH THE ATHLETIC
 CONTEST, IN WHICH THE SPORTS OFFICIAL WAS AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT, IS HELD, AND
 PROVIDE PENALTIES.

   03/11/97  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-5
   03/11/97  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-5

TO AMEND CHAPTER 7, TITLE 52, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO AMUSEMENTS AND ATHLETIC CONTESTS AND STATE AND COUNTY ATHLETIC COMMISSIONS, BY ADDING ARTICLE 7 SO AS TO MAKE IT A MISDEMEANOR OFFENSE TO PHYSICALLY ASSAULT A SPORTS OFFICIAL AT ANY LEVEL OF COMPETITION WITHIN THE CONFINES OR IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE ATHLETIC FACILITY AT WHICH THE ATHLETIC CONTEST, IN WHICH THE SPORTS OFFICIAL WAS AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT, IS HELD, AND PROVIDE PENALTIES.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Chapter 7, Title 52 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

Section 52-7-710. Any person who physically assaults any sports official at any level of competition, within the confines or immediate vicinity of the athletic facility at which the athletic contest, in which the sports official was an active participant, is held, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished by a fine of ten thousand dollars or imprisonment not to exceed three years, or both.

Section 52-7-720. For purposes of this article, sports officials are defined as those individuals who serve as referees, umpires, and linesmen, and those who serve in similar capacities but who may be known by other titles, and are duly registered as members of a local, state, regional, or national organization which is engaged in part in providing education and training to sports officials."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.