DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 184 Original 2019 Regular Session Henry
Abstract: Creates the crime of harassment of a school or recreation athletic contest official and
provides criminal penalties for commission of the offense.
Proposed law creates the crime of harassment of a school or recreation athletic contest official and
defines the crime as the harassment of a school athletic or recreation athletic contest official that
occurs under either of the following circumstances and that includes verbal or non-verbal behavior
by the offender that would cause a reasonable person to fear for his safety, to feel alarmed, or to
suffer emotional distress:
(1)While the school athletic or recreation athletic contest official is actively engaged in the
conducting, supervising, refereeing, or officiating of a school-sanctioned interscholastic
athletic contest or a sanctioned recreation athletic contest.
(2)In the immediate vicinity of a school-sanctioned interscholastic athletic contest or a
sanctioned recreation athletic contest and is based on the official's performance in the
conducting, supervising, refereeing, or officiating of a school-sanctioned interscholastic
athletic contest or a sanctioned recreation athletic contest.
Proposed law also defines "school athletic contest official" and "recreation athletic contest official"
for purposes of proposed law.
Proposed law provides the following penalties for persons who commit the offense:
(1)A fine of not more than $500, imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both.
(2) Performance of 40 hours of court-approved community service work.
(3)Mandatory participation in a court-approved counseling program which may include anger
management, abusive behavior intervention groups, or any other type of counseling deemed
appropriate by the court. Cost of the program shall be borne by the offender.
(Adds R.S. 14:38.4)