WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

LB 657

Create the offense of assault on a sports official and provide a penalty under the Nebraska Criminal Code

109th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Bob Andersen and 1 co-sponsor

Nebraska LB 657 makes assaulting a registered sports official a Class IV felony, applying before, during, or after an athletic contest to protect officials.

Title printed. Carryover bill
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · LB 657

Summary of Nebraska LB 657 (2025)

Overview

LB 657, introduced January 22, 2025, would create a new offense within the Nebraska Criminal Code: assault on a sports official. The bill is named the Respecting and Ensuring Fairness for Sports Officials Act (REF Act) and is designed to address violence against referees, umpires, and other officials. The offense would apply to conduct before, during, or after athletic contests and would be punishable as a Class IV felony.

Purpose and Intent

  • Address growing concern about violence against sports officials at various levels of competition.
  • Provide a clear statutory offense to deter and penalize assaults on officials.
  • Harmonize and consolidate related provisions within the Nebraska Criminal Code.

Key Provisions

  • Definitions:
    • Athletic contest: Any interscholastic, intercollegiate, or other organized amateur or professional athletic contest.
    • Sports official: An individual serving as a referee, umpire, linesman, or in a similar officiating role, who is duly registered by or is a member of a relevant official-education/training organization.
  • New offense: Assault on a sports official
    • Elements:
    • The offender intentionally or knowingly causes bodily injury to a sports official.
    • The assault is committed immediately before, during, or immediately following an athletic contest in which the sports official is participating.
    • The offender knows or reasonably should know that the victim is a sports official.
    • Penalty: Class IV felony under the Nebraska Criminal Code.
  • Structural changes:
    • The original section 28-101 is repealed and amended to reflect the revised Criminal Code framework and to incorporate the new offense.

Who Would Be Affected

  • Individuals who assault sports officials at athletic contests (pre-, during-, or post-contest).
  • Sports officials who are registered with or members of official organizations (as defined by the bill).
  • Institutions and organizations hosting or overseeing athletic contests at interscholastic, intercollegiate, amateur, or professional levels.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Introduced: January 22, 2025
  • Committee: Judiciary
  • Hearing: February 12, 2025
  • Legislative actions:
    • Referred to Judiciary (January 24, 2025)
    • Notice of hearing for February 12, 2025 (January 28, 2025)
    • Hardin named as a sponsor (February 12, 2025)
  • Sponsors: Primary – Senator Andersen; Co-sponsors include Senator Hardin and others.

Potential Impact

  • Creates a specific, higher-profile consequence for assaults on sports officials, potentially enhancing protection for officials and deterring violent acts.
  • Clearer charging framework for prosecutors when dealing with attacks on officials at sanctioned events.
  • Broad scope covers a wide range of athletic contests and officials registered with recognized organizations, which could include youth, high school, college, and professional contexts.

Note: The bill designates the offense as a Class IV felony, subject to Nebraska’s existing penalties for that category.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.