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Committee considers tougher penalties for assaulting youth sports officials after referees report repeated attacks
Summary
Senate File 190, introduced by Senator Gustafson, would enhance penalties for assaulting referees and umpires; the committee heard testimony from a youth soccer official about repeated physical assaults and laid the bill over for further consideration.
Senate File 190 aims to increase penalties for assaults on sports officials in youth athletics, the bill’s sponsor said, arguing the change would protect game officials and set a better example for children.
Senator Jen Gustafson, the bill’s author, told the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee on March 3 that referees and umpires “ensure fairness, safety, and integrity in our youth athletic programs” and that those officials have faced growing threats and violence. "No referee or umpire should fear their safety at a youth game," Gustafson said.
Aaron Frederickson, a soccer referee who testified to the committee, described more than 3,000 sanctioned matches he has officiated and two separate physical assaults by coaches in one season. "I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly," Frederickson said. He told senators that he reported the incidents to police and league officials and received no effective action. "If the coaches get away with it, it trickles down to the parents," Frederickson said, arguing that children see violent behavior and that it becomes normalized.
Committee discussion touched on proportionality of penalties relative to crimes against peace officers, the enforcement role of leagues and associations, and whether replay technology or stronger league policies could reduce incidents. Senator Limmer asked whether the bill’s penalties were comparable to existing penalties for assaults on officers; legal staff said the proposal would elevate most assaults in this setting from misdemeanor to gross misdemeanor in many cases.
The committee laid SF 190 on the table for additional information and possible inclusion in future packages.
