1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to public safety; imposing civil penalty on persons who disrupt or interfere
1.3 with youth athletic activity; establishing youth officiating account; providing for
1.4 grants; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 240A.03, by adding a
1.5 subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 240A.
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.7 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 240A.03, is amended by adding a subdivision
1.8to read:
1.9 Subd. 17.Civil penalties.Pursuant to section 240A.075, the commission may impose
1.10civil penalties of up to $1,000 on individuals who are disruptive or physically interfere with
1.11a game organizer, player, or coach during a youth athletic activity.
1.12 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2028, and applies to acts committed
1.13on or after that date.
1.14 Sec. 2. [240A.075] DISRUPTING OR INTERFERING WITH A YOUTH ATHLETIC
1.15ACTIVITY; CIVIL PENALTY.
1.16 Subdivision 1.Definitions.(a) As used in this section, the following terms have the
1.17meanings given.
1.18 (b) "Official" means a person who serves as an umpire, referee, judge, linesperson, timer,
1.19scorekeeper, or in another similar capacity for a youth athletic activity.
1.20 (c) "Youth athletic activity" has the meaning given in section 121A.38, subdivision 1,
1.21paragraph (e).
1Sec. 2.
25-00864 as introduced12/09/24 REVISOR KLL/KR
SENATE
STATE OF MINNESOTA
S.F. No. 1829NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
(SENATE AUTHORS: SEEBERGER)
OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
Introduction and first reading02/24/2025
Referred to Judiciary and Public Safety 2.1 Subd. 2.Violations.(a) The commission may impose a civil penalty of up to $1,000 on
2.2an individual who does any of the following:
2.3 (1) intentionally enters the field of play and disrupts a youth athletic activity;
2.4 (2) intentionally causes any object to enter the field of play if that object disrupts a youth
2.5athletic activity; or
2.6 (3) assaults or physically interferes with an official, game organizer, player, or coach
2.7involved in a youth athletic activity:
2.8 (i) while the youth athletic activity is taking place;
2.9 (ii) on the premises or in the parking lot where the youth athletic activity is taking place;
2.10or
2.11 (iii) while the official, game organizer, player, or coach is traveling between the premises
2.12where the youth athletic activity is taking place and a public transit stop or a motor vehicle.
2.13 (b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to an official, player, or coach participating in a youth
2.14athletic activity; any person providing medical assistance to an official, player, or coach;
2.15or any person who reasonably believes that action is necessary to prevent or address an
2.16emergency.
2.17 Subd. 3.Youth officiating program grants.(a) The youth officiating account is
2.18established in the special revenue fund. All civil penalties collected under this section shall
2.19be deposited into the account and are annually appropriated to the commission to be
2.20distributed as provided in paragraph (b).
2.21 (b) The commission shall use money in the youth officiating account to develop youth
2.22officiating programs or award grants to organizations to develop those programs.
2.23 Subd. 4.Notification.(a) If the board of directors of the Minnesota State High School
2.24League or a school board exclude any person from attending interscholastic athletic activities
2.25pursuant to section 128C.08, the board of directors of the Minnesota State High School
2.26League or school board shall notify the commission of that action.
2.27 (b) Any official, game organizer, coach, or school principal who witnessed an act that
2.28would constitute a violation of subdivision 2 may notify the commission of the violation.
2.29 Subd. 5.Hearing.A person on whom a civil penalty is imposed is entitled to a hearing
2.30provided the person makes a written request for a hearing within 15 days of receipt of notice
2.31of the penalty. Failure to request a hearing shall result in forfeiture of the right to a hearing.
2.32Upon request for a hearing, a hearing officer, who shall not be an employee of the
2Sec. 2.
25-00864 as introduced12/09/24 REVISOR KLL/KR 3.1commission, shall be appointed by the commission, and the hearing officer shall promptly
3.2schedule a hearing on the matter, giving at least ten days' notice of the date, time, and place
3.3of the hearing to the person subject to the civil penalty. The hearing and review thereof shall
3.4be in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act.
3.5 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2028, and applies to acts committed
3.6on or after that date.
3Sec. 2.
25-00864 as introduced12/09/24 REVISOR KLL/KR