The following information was sent out this week from the PIAA regarding House Bill 297, a bill meant to curtail the harassment of officials at sporting events. Please reach out at rdominick@lmtsd.org if you have any questions. Thanks!

House Bill 297, Harassment of a Sports Official, introduced by Representative Kulik and Senator Dillon, is a bill to help protect officials from harassment. Harassment, as defined in the bill, of a sports official while performing their duties as an official will constitute a misdemeanor of the third degree.

PIAA, as an association of member schools and a registry for sports officials, has almost 14,000 registered sports officials under its jurisdiction. PIAA supports the protection of those men, women, and students who continually support safety, fair play, and the rules of the games.

Senator Scott Martin has introduced a resolution to support PIAA Officials’ Appreciation weeks, Fall (October 1st—7th, 2023), Winter (January 7th—13th, 2024), and Spring (April 14th—20th, 2024). Senator Martin states, “The participation of our officials contributes directly to the positive development of our children. The safe environments they help foster have a direct, positive impact on our children’s physical and mental health. They provide an outlet where friendships can be fostered and life lessons of teamwork and determination can be instilled. Just as important, they help to ensure that our kids have safe fun."

The Senate has passed this bill by a 48-2 vote. It has been moved to the House of Representatives for their vote. Please contact your local House of Representatives member to support House Bill 297. This would be of great service to our member schools and PIAA officials.