A trend seen more often with the use of social media is the posting of videos where athletic game officials are being verbally and physically assaulted, and it has led to a shortage of officials for various sports. During this year’s session of the Arkansas State Legislature, Republican Representative R.J. Hawk of Bryant introduced House Bill 1496 to create criminal penalties for those abusing athletic officials.
Mountain Home Public Schools Athletic Director Mitch Huskey says he sees anything a state or a school can do to protect officials as a good thing.
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Rep. Hawk says the bill is needed to protect officials at all levels, including Little League, high school and college. While Huskey says he has not seen any physical attacks locally, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports Hawk spoke in the House Chamber on March 16 and made mention of an official in Mountain Home being hospitalized from getting struck by a fan at a basketball game nearly a year ago.
Depending on the severity of the act an the injury, someone accused of assaulting an official could be charged anywhere from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class B felony. When asked why the abuse of an official should result in a harsher penalty compared to the attack of any other person, Hawk reportedly made reference to the shortage of officials in Arkansas and around the country, and Huskey says he has also noticed that trend directly affecting Mountain Home.
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HB 1496 passed the House by a vote of 75-4. The Senate has yet to decide on it, but the Senate Judiciary Committee has recommended its passage.
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