BILL NUMBER: AB 245 CHAPTERED 10/11/03 CHAPTER 818 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE OCTOBER 11, 2003 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR OCTOBER 10, 2003 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 28, 2003 PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 21, 2003 AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 24, 2003 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 7, 2003 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 18, 2003 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Cohn FEBRUARY 3, 2003 An act to add Section 243.83 to the Penal Code, relating to crimes. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 245, Cohn. Crimes: professional sporting events. Existing law makes it a crime to commit a battery against a sports official, as specified. This bill would make it unlawful for any person attending a professional sporting event to throw any object on or across the court or field of play with the intent to interfere with play or distract a player ; or enter upon the court or field of play without permission from an authorized person during the sporting event. The bill would provide that its provisions shall apply to attendees, but not to players or sports officials. The bill would require the owner of the facility in which a professional sporting event is to be held to provide a specified notice regarding the bill's provisions. The bill would provide that a violation of the provisions prohibiting throwing objects on or entering field of play is an infraction punishable by a fine not exceeding $250 and that failure of the owner to post the specified notice is not a defense to a violation. Because the bill would create new crimes, it would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 243.83 is added to the Penal Code, to read: 243.83. (a) It is unlawful for any person attending a professional sporting event to do any of the following: (1) Throw any object on or across the court or field of play with the intent to interfere with play or distract a player. (2) Enter upon the court or field of play without permission from an authorized person any time after the authorized participants of play have entered the court or field to begin the sporting event and until the participants of play have completed the playing time of the sporting event. (b) (1) The owner of the facility in which a professional sporting event is to be held shall provide a notice specifying the unlawful activity prohibited by this section and the punishment for engaging in that prohibited activity. (2) The notice shall be prominently displayed throughout the facility or may be provided by some other manner, such as on a big screen or by a general public announcement. In addition, notice shall be posted at all controlled entry areas of the sporting facility. (3) Failure to provide the notice shall not be a defense to a violation of this section. (c) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) "Player" includes any authorized participant of play, including, but not limited to, team members, referees however designated, and support staff, whether or not any of those persons receive compensation. (2) "Professional sporting event" means a scheduled sporting event involving a professional sports team or organization or a professional athlete for which an admission fee is charged to the public. (d) A violation of subdivision (a) is an infraction punishable by a fine not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars ($250). The fine shall not be subject to penalty assessments as provided in Section 1464 or 1465.7 of this code or Section 76000 of the Government Code. (e) This section shall apply to attendees at professional sporting events; this section shall not apply to players or to sports officials, as defined in Section 243.8. (f) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or prevent prosecution under any applicable provision of law. SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.