HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2185

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO SPORTS OFFICIALS.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§302A-     Sports officials; private counsel; temporary restraining order.  (a)  The department may retain private counsel to represent a sports official in a civil action for the purposes of obtaining a temporary restraining order in relation to any incidence at a sports event at which the sports official has been, or has allegedly been, assaulted or threatened while engaged in the lawful discharge of the sports official's duties.

     (b)  For the purposes of this section, "sports official" and "lawful discharge of the sports official's duties" have the same meaning as defined in section 706-605.6."

     SECTION 2.  Section 706-605.6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (2) to read as follows:

     "(2)  For the purposes of this section:

     "Lawful discharge of the sports official's duty" means the performance of duties of a sports official from the time the sports official arrives at the venue of a sports event and ending when the sports official returns to their residence or business.

     "Sports event" means any organized amateur or professional athletic contest in the State.

     "Sports official" means a person at a sports event, including but not limited to a sports event at a public school or private school, who enforces the rules of the event, such as an umpire, referee, timer, or scorer, or a person who supervises the participants, such as a coach, league administrator, school administrator, or athletic director, regardless of whether the person is paid or provides their services as an unpaid volunteer."

     SECTION 3.  Section 707-710, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (1) to read as follows:

     "(1)  A person commits the offense of assault in the first degree if the person intentionally or knowingly causes:

     (a)  Serious bodily injury to another person; [or]

     (b)  Substantial bodily injury to a person who is sixty years of age or older and the age of the injured person is known or reasonably should be known to the person causing the injury[.]; or

     (c)  Substantial bodily injury to a sports official who is engaged in the lawful discharge of the sports official's duties.  For the purposes of this paragraph, "sports official" and "lawful discharge of the sports official's duties" have the same meaning as defined in section 706-605.6."

     SECTION 4.  This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.

     SECTION 5.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.


 


 

 

Report Title:

DOE Sports Officials; Assault; Private Counsel; Temporary Restraining Order

 

Description:

Authorizes the Department of Education to retain private counsel to represent a sports official in certain civil proceedings to obtain a temporary restraining order in response to incidences where the sports official has been assaulted or threatened in the course of legally discharging their sports official duties.  Includes substantial bodily injury of a sports official engaged in the lawful discharge of the sports official's duties in the offense of assault in the first degree.  Clarifies that a sports official includes a school administrator, league administrator, or athletics director.  Clarifies that a sports official's duties cover sports events at public schools and private schools.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD1)

 

 

 

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