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HB5246 • 2026
Safe Play Act
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.
Safe Play Act
To House Judiciary
Introduced in House
To Judiciary
Filed for introduction
Safe Play Act
HB 5246 Text skip navigation SENATE PRESIDENT SENATORS COMMITTEES VIDEO/AUDIO DISTRICT MAPS SENATE CLERK SENATE RULES HOUSE SPEAKER DELEGATES COMMITTEES VIDEO/AUDIO DISTRICT MAPS HOUSE CLERK HOUSE RULES HOUSE STAFF JOINT INTERIM COMMITTEES LEGISLATIVE ADMINISTRATOR LEGISLATIVE SERVICES DIVISION PUBLIC INFORMATION LEGISLATIVE AUTOMATED SYSTEMS DIVISION LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR'S OFFICE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION & RESEARCH DIVISION POST AUDIT DIVISION BUDGET DIVISION REGULATORY AND FISCAL AFFAIRS DIVISION CLAIMS COMMISSION CRIME VICTIMS RULE-MAKING REVIEW SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS JUDICIAL COMP. COMMISSION JOINT RULES STAFF INFO BILL STATUS BILL STATUS BILL TRACKING STATE LAW WEST VIRGINIA CODE ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE CODE OF 1931 WV CONSTITUTION US CONSTITUTION REPORTS AGENCY REPORTS AGENCY GRANT AWARDS PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS POST AUDITS EDUCATIONAL CITIZEN’S GUIDE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PAGE PROGRAM PUBLICATIONS PHOTO GALLERY CAPITOL HISTORY HOW A BILL BECOMES LAW CONTACT SENATE ROSTER HOUSE ROSTER PUBLIC INFO. NEWS RELEASES HELPFUL LINKS Introduced Version House Bill 5246 History | Email Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE 2026 REGULAR SESSION Introduced House Bill 5246 By Delegate Hornbuckle [Introduced February 05, 2026; referred to the Committee on the Judiciary] A BILL to amend and reenact §61-2-15a of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to increasing the fines for conviction of assault or battery of athletic officials. Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia: Article 2. Crimes Against the Person. §61-2-15a. Assault, battery on athletic officials; penalties. (a) If any person commits an assault, as defined in §61-2-9(b), to the person of an athletic official during the time the official is acting as an athletic official, the offender is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more less than $500 nor more than $1,000, or confined in jail not more than six months, or both fined and confined. (b) If any person commits a battery, as defined in §61-2-9(c), against an athletic official during the time the official is acting as an athletic official, the offender is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more less than $1,000 nor more than $3,000, or confined in jail not more than twelve months, or both fined and confined. (c) For the purpose of this section, "athletic official" means a person at a sports event who enforces the rules of that event, such as an umpire or referee, or a person who supervises the participants, such as a coach. NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to increase the penalties for persons convicted of assault or battery upon athletic officials: the Safe Play Act. Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added. Bill Status | Bill Tracking | Legacy WV Code | Bulletin Board | District Maps | Senate Roster | House Roster | Live | Blog | Jobs | Links | Home This Web site is maintained by the West Virginia Legislature's Office of Reference & Information. | Terms of Use | Webmaster | © 2026 West Virginia Legislature ** Print On Demand Name: Email: Phone: