02/08/2024
REFEREE ASSAULT MEETING- ANNAPOLIS MARYLAND CAPITOL BUILDING February 27, 2024, at 1 pm, in the Judicial Proceedings Committee in Annapolis !!! PROTECT SPORTING OFFICIALS!
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Maryland State Examination of Physical Assaults on Officials
Dana Terman and all Board 12 Members,
Greetings, fellow officials:
As most of you may know, I have been working on changing Maryland law to give deference to officials in every sport by providing some extra protection in holding those who choose to physically assault us accountable. For two years in a row (2021 and 2022), I wrote a bill that would change the law to allow police officers to arrest anyone who assaults an official if it occurs outside of their presence. In both years, the legislation failed to pass the committee that heard the bill, despite the best efforts AND testimony from several referees in football, baseball, soccer, and basketball (including me and our very own T.C. Cameron, who gave his personal story in front of the committee of Senators).
The good news is this bill has just been reintroduced for another year!
Here's how the law currently works:
The law allows for police officers to make an arrest for any violation of law that occurs in their presence
The law allows for police officers to make an arrest for any felony that occurs outside of their presence based on probable cause of it occurring
The law DOES NOT allow for police officers to make an arrest for MOST misdemeanors that occur outside of their presence unless it’s one a several enumerated “probable cause” misdemeanors. These misdemeanors include: vehicular manslaughter, malicious mischief, theft under $1,000 in value, pulling a fire alarm, indecent exposure, buying or selling drugs, wearing/carrying a firearm, and prostitution, OR, if you’re a police officer, parole or probation officer, or a firefighter and you’re assaulted you automatically get this relief.
This current way of doing business in Maryland means for all other persons and for all other crimes not listed above, the police officer CANNOT make an arrest if they did not witness the offense, even if there’s probable cause. The most an officer who’s on the scene can do is refer you to a court commissioner to swear out an affidavit for a summons or arrest warrant, and there’s no guarantee the summons/warrant will be issued. Since we work in a sport that sees a lot of traveling teams, this is not ideal or helpful in the spirit of getting justice.
The new law will add sports officials, across all sports and all leagues (including college and any pro games ever played in Maryland), to the list of three occupations identified above, AND it will add second-degree assault to the list of “probable cause” misdemeanors above.
** I need your help getting this over the finish line. The Senator who’s sponsoring the bill this year is Justin Ready (Frederick & Carroll Counties). We are in the same building and are partnering up to coordinate witnesses for the hearing. I would like for you to write testimony expressing your support for this legislation (generally), and if you can testify in person, PLEASE DO.
The hearing date is scheduled for February 27, 2024, at 1 pm, in the Judicial Proceedings Committee in Annapolis. It’s important to note that if you plan to submit written testimony for the record or visit Annapolis and provide your testimony in person, you have to register yourself on the Maryland General Assembly Website 24-hours before the hearing date. Please reach out to me individually through email, and I’ll walk everyone willing to help support this important piece of legislation through the process. [email protected]. Thank you for helping to secure your craft for many years to come.
Respectfully,
Clate D. Jackson
First Vice President
IAABO Board 12
[email protected]
202-553-2936
