Bill > HB1938

This bill establishes two new legal provisions under Missouri law: the "Respect the Whistle Act" and an offense related to unauthorized presence at athletic contests. The first provision creates a specific harassment offense targeting school and recreation athletic contest officials, defining harassment as verbal or nonverbal behavior that would cause a reasonable person to fear bodily harm. The offense applies when harassment occurs during an athletic contest or in its immediate vicinity, based on the official's performance. If convicted, a person can be fined up to $500, imprisoned for up to 90 days, and will be required to complete 40 hours of community service and participate in a court-approved counseling program (such as anger management), with the offender personally responsible for counseling costs. The second provision makes it a criminal offense to enter or remain on the site of a school or recreation athletic contest after being explicitly forbidden to do so by an owner, lessee, custodian, or authorized person, with potential penalties of a fine up to $500 and/or imprisonment for up to six months. These laws aim to protect athletic officials and maintain the integrity and safety of sporting events by establishing clear legal consequences for disruptive or unauthorized behavior.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1938&year=2026&code=R