Fans who run onto the field during sporting events, try to hit players or coaches or hurl objects into games could face first-degree misdemeanor

Crackdown Sought On Fans Who Run On Field In Florida

Fans who run onto the field during sporting events, try to hit players or coaches or hurl objects into games could face first-degree misdemeanor
A fan runs on the field during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 55 football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9. (AP Photo/Steve Luciano)

Fans who run onto the field during sporting events, try to hit players or coaches, or hurl objects into games could face first-degree misdemeanor charges under a measure filed Tuesday by Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee.

Simon filed the proposal (SB 764) for consideration during the legislative session that will start on March 7. It also would apply to other entertainment venues.

A similar measure (HB 319) was filed last month by Rep. Taylor Yarkosky, R-Montverde.

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The proposal by Simon, who was an All-American defensive tackle at Florida State University before playing eight years in the National Football League, said fans could face first-degree misdemeanor charges, which carry up to a year in jail and fines up to $2,500, if they “knowingly enter or remain unlawfully upon the covered area of a sporting or entertainment event.”

The same charge could be applied for throwing objects on the field or attempting to strike players or coaches. Also, the bill would seek to prevent people from benefiting financially from such actions.

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