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Read. Follow. Verify.Missouri House Bill 1841 Grants Civil Liability Protections and Special Victim Status to Sports Officials
Last action · May 15, 2026: Referred: Emerging Issues(H)Sponsor: Sherri Gallick
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What This Bill Would Do
Representative Sherri Gallick introduced HB 1841 to shield registered sports officials from civil lawsuits for on-field officiating actions and to classify them as s under assault laws. The bill applies to referees, umpires, and linesmen officiating athletic contests at any level within Missouri facilities.
Sports officials gain immunity from civil lawsuits arising from their officiating decisions unless their conduct is intentional or , while individuals who assault them face enhanced criminal penalties under the classification.
- State legislatures frequently evaluate bills to address rising rates of verbal and physical abuse directed at youth and adult sports referees. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Sports officials
Sports officials receive civil liability immunity for ordinary officiating actions and gain special victim status when assaulted during their duties.
Athletic contest participants and spectators
Participants and spectators are restricted from recovering civil damages from sports officials for non-grossly negligent on-field decisions.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who qualifies as a sports official under this bill?
Can a sports official be sued civilly for any on-field call?
What is the penalty impact of being classified as a special victim?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
4 actions- May 15, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred: Emerging Issues(H)
- Jan 8, 2026HouseFloorRead Second Time (H)
- Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroducedRead First Time (H)
- Dec 1, 2025HouseIntroducedPrefiled (H)
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of Special Victim Status
The bill integrates sports officials into an established Missouri statutory framework that already protects law enforcement, emergency workers, and transit employees.
Connected Entities
Sources
house.mo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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