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Minutes for HB2139 - Committee on Education
Short Title
Creating the crime of abuse of a sports official and providing criminal penalties therefor.
Minutes Content for Thu, Feb 2, 2023
The Chairman opened the hearing on HB2139.
Revisor Jason Long gave a summary of the bill. (Attachment 1)
Proponents (Oral)
Jeffrey "Hammer" Bachman, Umpire, spoke in support of the bill from his 35 years experience as a sports official. Sports officials are dropping out of the field because of the abuse from fans and spectators. He strongly supports tougher consequences for abuse of referees. (Attachment 2)
Informational Presentation
John Dehan, Call the Game, stated at the heyday of his career he scheduled 36,000 games in one year. Everything has changed. Abuse of officials is not being reported and nothing happens to the people who are the perpetrators. Sports officials are not being protected. There are general assault laws but the sports officials need special protection. There is a shortage of officials, they are aging out, they are tired of the constant abuse, and this is a national issue. (Mr. Dehan was not an official conferee, but is a very knowledgeable person as he has officiated and run a large business providing sports officials to games across Kansas, so he was asked to speak as a proponent, or a person with knowledge.)
Discussion with the Representatives, proponent and Mr. Dehan ensued.
Proponents (Written Only)
Bill Faflick, KSHSAA, noted that Mr. Dehan is the NFOA Distinguished National Contributor Award official, and thanked both he and "Hammer" Bachman for their work. He agreed that they have less officials and it is a problem. They are at an all time low for registered officials in Kansas. Without officials it is just recess. School districts have the ability to modify attendance dependent on behavior. Mr. Faflick offered Proponent Written Only testimony, however, as he was in attendance, Chairman Thomas requested that Mr. Faflick engage with the Committee in his official capacity. (Attachment 3)
Ken Neaderhiser, Umpire, Lenexa (Attachment 4)
Loren Fisher, President of USA Softball of Kansas (Attachment 5)
Dr. Leslie Hannah, Deputy Commissioner for USA Softball (Attachment 6)
Neutral Proponents (Oral)
Timothy Graham, Kansas National Education Association, noted that KNEA fully recognizes there is a big issue, and personally as a coach and parent, he has seen a lot of irresponsible activity in games. On Monday night a parent threatened him with violence because his son didn't get enough time to play. There is a crisis, he stated. On Sunday, at his son's basketball game there was only one referee who had worked from 9 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon. KNEA doesn't want to get into the larger philosophical debate on criminal statutes, but extra curricular activities are an extension of the classroom. He noted that one of the reasons Kansas has a teacher shortage is because of behavior in the classroom. This violent behavior is a dynamic that happens in the classroom. (Attachment 7)
Neutral (Written Only)
Dr. JuliAnn Mazacheck, President, Washburn University (Attachment 8)
A time of questions and answers ensued.
The Chairman closed the hearing on HB2139.
The next meeting is February 6, 2023.
