BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|Hearing Date:July 2, 2012 |Bill No:AB |
| |2464 |
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SENATE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS, PROFESSIONS
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Senator Curren D. Price, Jr., Chair
Bill No: AB 2464Author:Gatto
As Amended:May 2, 2012 Fiscal: No
SUBJECT: Professional sports facilities: safety.
SUMMARY: Requires owners of professional sports facilities to post
notices of emergency contact information.
Existing Law, Penal Code (PC):
1) Makes 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. (PC §
243.83 )
2) Makes it unlawful to enter upon the court or field of play without
permission from an authorized person after the authorized
participants 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. (PC § 243.83 )
3) Requires the owner of the facility in which a professional sporting
event is to be held to provide a notice specifying the unlawful
activity prohibited by this section and the punishment for engaging
in that prohibited activity. (PC § 243.83 )
4) Requires 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. Failure to provide the notice shall not be a defense to
a violation of this section. (PC § 243.83)
AB 2464
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This bill:
1) Requires the owner of any professional sports facility to post
written notices displaying the text message number and telephone
number to contact security in order to report a violent act.
2) Provides that the notices must be visible from a majority of
seating in the stands at all times, at controlled entry areas, and
at parking facilities which are part of the professional sports
arena.
FISCAL EFFECT: This bill has been keyed "non-fiscal" by Legislative
Council.
COMMENTS:
1.Purpose. According the Author, "This bill is an extremely modest
step to restore a modicum of Californians' faith in their ability to
safely attend professional games. In the last year there have been
several high profile attacks at games in Los Angeles and San
Francisco, and the random nature of the crimes coupled with its
apparent increase in occurrence, leads the Author to believe the
Legislature needs to act. AB 2465 is necessary to help fans report
potentially dangerous situations before they escalate to senseless
violence.
Recent high profile attacks last year at Dodger Stadium in Los
Angeles on Brian Stow reassure the necessity of this bill.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Stow was leaving
Dodger Stadium along with several of his friends, following the
conclusion of the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. the San Francisco Giants
baseball game. The two suspects, who were wearing Dodger attire,
began taunting the victims because of their affiliation with the San
Francisco Giants. As the victim and his friends attempted to walk
away from the suspects, the victim was hit from behind and fell to
the ground. The victim's friends attempted to intervene and they
too were hit by the suspects.
2.Background. In response to the violence at the LA Dodgers stadium,
Dodger officials instituted greater safety measures, and tightened
their enforcement of their Fan Code of Conduct, including a ban on
all tailgating before games. In fact all 30 teams in Major League
Baseball have long had their own code of conduct, according to
information found on MLB.com. It is also a case-by-case team
decision how that code will be communicated to the fans. The vast
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majority of the teams (24 of 30) have a fan phone or text number, to
which fans may report unruly behavior and many stadiums have visible
signage with the numbers displayed.
In the NBA, their Fan Code of Conduct, adopted on Feb. 17, 2005, sets
forth expected standards of decorum for all fans attending NBA
games, is posted prominently in all NBA arenas, and public address
announcements concerning some of its key elements are made during
each NBA game. Guests who fail to adhere to these standards are
subject to ejection and revocation of season tickets.
The NBA Guidelines also set forth minimum standards regarding the
serving of alcohol, including the provision that alcohol be served
only until the start of the fourth quarter, restrictions on the size
(24 ounces) and number (two) of alcoholic beverages sold per
individual customer, the training of arena personnel in effective
alcohol management, and the maintenance of designated driver
programs in each NBA arena.
The NFL and all 32 NFL clubs have followed a fan code of conduct to
help promote a "positive fan environment at NFL stadiums," since
Nov. 18, 2008, according to NFL.com.
"The fan code of conduct is designed to set clear expectations and
encourage a stadium environment that is enjoyable for all fans.
Teams may add additional provisions to the standard code based on
local circumstances or preferences. Each team will communicate its
code of conduct during the preseason to season-ticket holders and
fans through mailings, online, and in-stadium signage, and other
messages."
3. Related legislation. AB 2030 (Olson) requires the Building
Standards Commission to exempt certain press boxes in stadium
bleachers from accessibility standards contained in current
building standards. This bill is currently on the Senate Floor.
SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION:
Support: Crime Victims United of California
Opposition: None received as of June 27, 2012
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Consultant:Michael Lynch