(WHTM) — A lawmaker from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is proposing legislation that would make harassing sports officials, such as umpires and referees, illegal.
Representative Anita Astorino Kulik (D-Allegheny) stated that she is introducing legislation that would create a separate offense of harassment of a sports official. The memorandum states that sometimes calls from sports officials result in strong disagreements expressed by players, coaches, and spectators.
While current law protects sports officials from cases of assault, the current law does not offer additional protection from harassment, the memorandum noted.
Representative Kulick’s legislation would apply to sports officials throughout the state and protect them from harassment that can come about from sports officials doing their job.
Similar legislation has been enacted in Alabama and Louisiana.
