FOR RELEASE ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2023
HARASSMENT PROTECTIONS FOR PENNSYLVANIA SPORTS OFFICIALS
RACINE, Wis. — Pennsylvania State Senator Jimmy Dillon introduced State Bill 842 and is calling on sports officials to show support during a press conference scheduled for Saturday, October 14 at 9am. The event will be held at the Bustleton Bengals Youth Organization located at 9945 President St. in Philadelphia.
The Respect the Whistle Act aims to promote a culture of respect and sportsmanship within youth sports organizations, emphasizing the importance of fair play, civility, and positive role modeling for all involved. By introducing SB 842, Sen. Dillon wants to ensure that sports officials can perform their duties without fear of intimidation or mistreatment, ultimately fostering a more inclusive and enjoyable environment for young athletes.
To learn more about the effort and the event, please visit https://senatordillon.com/sb842/
Pennsylvania state law currently contains increased penalties for assault against a referee, but officials continue to face threats and harassment that would not qualify as assault but which should not be condoned. By creating harassment protections for sports officials, Sen. Dillon hopes to change what some people deem to be acceptable behavior.
SB 842 was introduced Feb. 6, 2023 and was referred to Judiciary on Jun. 30, 2023. For more details on the bill or to follow its progress, click this link: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?syear=2023&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=842.
For more information on legislation affecting sports officials, visit www.naso.org/resources/legislation.
About the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO)
NASO, based in Racine, Wis., is a not-for-profit educational organization and is the world’s largest organization for sports officials at every level and all sports. 30,000 sports officials from around the world belong to NASO, enjoying member benefits and supporting an organization that advocates for sports officials and that helps them maintain the highest level of officiating skills. Founded in 1980, NASO is governed by a 12-member board of directors coming from numerous sports and organizations. For more information, visit the NASO website at NASO.org.
Contact: Joe Jarosz
Assistant Editor
Referee Magazine/National Association of Sports Officials
jjarosz@naso.org
