SB 255 CRIME OF STUDENT ATHLETE HARASSMENT

Sen Mark Moores

Actions: [4] SCC/SJC/SFC-SCC [6]germane-SJC

Scheduled: Not Scheduled

 Senate Bill 255 (SB 255) creates the crime of student athlete harassment 

 Senate Bill 255 (SB 255) enacts a new section of the Criminal Code that creates the crime of “student athlete harassment”. 

Student athlete harassment is threatening violence or harm at a student athlete in which the harassment is related to the performance of the student athlete in an intercollegiate sport and is done with the intent to place the athlete in fear of their safety of the safety of their immediate family.  The conduct would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress.

The penalty for this crime is a misdemeanor for the first conviction; for second or subsequent convictions, the penalty is a fourth-degree felony.  The court must also order the completion of professional counseling/

The bill provides definitions for “intercollegiate sport” and “student athlete.”