Criminal Law - Second Degree Assault - Sports Official

HB 462 prohibits intentionally causing physical harm to a sports official (umpire, referee, or judge) during a sporting event. It specifically adds sports officials to the list of protected individuals under Maryland's second-degree assault law, making such acts a misdemeanor punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a $2,500 fine. Unlike assaults against police or first responders (which become felonies), assaults against sports officials remain misdemeanors under this bill. The bill also updates arrest procedures to allow warrantless arrests for this specific assault type, as it is now listed in the criminal procedure code.