RICHMOND, Va. β Virginia sports officials now have stronger legal protection against assault thanks to a new law that went into effect July 1, making it a Class 1 misdemeanor to attack referees and umpires.
The legislation makes Virginia the 23rd state to enact specific protections for sports officials, according to the National Association of Sports Officials. Anyone convicted of assaulting an official before, during or after a game could face up to one year in prison and a $2,500 fine.
"This adds a little bit more teeth to actions from the fans. It's more than a slap on the wrist," said Danny Denton, a high school football official with 36 years of experience.
The new protections come as sports across the country face a shortage of officials, partly due to increased abuse from players, coaches and fans. Denton, who serves in various roles with the Central Virginia Football Officials Association, first tried to get similar legislation passed in Virginia 25 years ago.
"Hopefully that will help deter some of the physical abuse that's happening. I'm not sure if this can deter the verbal abuse," Denton said.
While Denton hasn't been physically assaulted himself, he's witnessed verbal abuse that has driven officials away from the profession.
"We had a female official that her husband had to come up and get her because she took so much verbal abuse from the fans during a game," Denton said.
The veteran official noted that at the high school level, fans and parents are typically the source of problems, while at youth levels, coaches can also contribute to abusive behavior.
"Had a kid that, you know, six-year-old kid, that said, 'Are we winning or losing?' One of the coaches yelling at me so they don't even know. They don't even know. And yet, the coaches are thinking it's the Super Bowl," Denton said.
Despite these challenges, Denton emphasized that most relationships between teams, officials and leagues remain positive, with only a few problematic individuals causing issues.
"We are out there for the kids. We are out there for the youth. If it wasn't for us, it wouldn't be any games. So just be respectful," Denton said.
The new law also allows anyone convicted of assaulting a sports official to be banned from league games for at least six months, in addition to potential prison time and fines.
What do you think of this new law in Virginia? Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
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