High school athletes and referees testified to seeing growing numbers of verbal and physical assaults against referees, umpires and other athletic officials at Hawaii sports events — while schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi told the Legislature about a shortage of high school officials due partially to sports-related screaming and scuffling.

In response, House Bill 264 has been passed and sent to Gov. Josh Green, adding sports officials to a list of figures prompting second-degree felony assault charges if attacked. If enacted, the law also allows offenders to be banned from attending any sports event their victims are involved in — even for life, after a second violation.