This bill proposes to amend New Jersey's assault laws by upgrading simple assaults committed against sports officials during school- or community-sponsored youth sports events to aggravated assault. The new legal language specifies that a person commits aggravated assault if they are clearly identifiable as a sports official or acting in that capacity. The bill defines a sports official broadly to include referees, umpires, timers, scorers, coaches, athletic trainers, managers, and assistants, regardless of whether they are compensated or volunteer.

Under current law, assaults against sports officials are classified as disorderly persons offenses. The bill changes this classification, making it a crime of the fourth degree if no bodily injury occurs and a crime of the third degree if bodily injury does occur. The penalties for these crimes are significantly harsher than those for disorderly persons offenses, with potential imprisonment terms of up to 18 months for fourth-degree crimes and three to five years for third-degree crimes. The bill is set to take effect on the first day of the fourth month following its enactment.