HBA-NRS H.B. 276 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 276
By: Berman
Civil Practices
4/3/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law provides that sports officials may be liable for damages
created by or originating from officiating. It is the growing consensus of
major officiating associations that all sports from the amateur level to
the professional level have seen an increase in aggression and violence at
athletic  contests. House Bill 276 protects sports officials from being
liable for damages resulting from officiating an athletic contest. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 276 amends the Civil Practice and Remedies Code to provide that
an individual serving as a sports official is not liable for civil damages
arising from an act or omission by the sports official relating to
officiating an athletic contest and that occurs in the facility where the
contest takes place.  An exception to this provision is if the act or
omission is intentional, wilfully or wantonly negligent, or done with
conscious indifference or reckless disregard for the safety of others. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.