CA-State rep introduces "No Attend List" law, to ban "violent sports fans".

[Anti Federalist]

California legislator proposes banning violent fans from pro sports games

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/03/13/433...#storylink=cpy

Take me out to the ballgame? Maybe not.

California would become the first state to create a "Ban List" prohibiting violent fans from attending professional sports events anywhere in the state under newly proposed legislation.

The list would operate much like a restraining order: Anyone listed who went anyway would be guilty of a misdemeanor.

Offenders' names and photos would be published on the Internet and sent to sports arenas, police agencies and ticket vendors by the attorney general's office, which would maintain the list.

Sure, banned fans could sidestep the law and have relatives or friends buy tickets for them, but if they subsequently caused a commotion and were discovered at a stadium, their presence could draw a one-year jail sentence and a $10,000 fine.

Assemblyman Mike Gatto said his measure is aimed at senseless violence such as the nearly fatal beating of San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow outside Dodger Stadium last year.

"Violence is something that has made a lot of parents be a little afraid to take their kids to the ball games, so I think we need to step in and do something," said Gatto, D-Los Angeles.

Under Gatto's Assembly Bill 2464, a judge could place a violent offender on the ban list for up to five years for a first offense, up to 10 years for a second, and up to 25 years for a third. The bill also provides sentencing enhancements to extend offenders' prison terms.

Verbal harassment or throwing beer are not covered by AB 2464, only serious felonies ranging from robbery to assault with a deadly weapon or infliction of great bodily injury committed inside or outside a stadium, while tailgating, watching, entering or leaving a stadium.

Incidents like Stow's beating would be covered by AB 2464, for example, as would the violence last year at Candlestick Park during a San Francisco 49ers-

Oakland Raiders preseason game that left one man unconscious in an upper level restroom and two men shot outside the stadium.

Gatto's measure would charge each professional sports team $10,000 to create the ban list and a rewards fund for crime witnesses. Teams would supplement the fund if it fell below $180,000.

AB 2464 would apply to the Sacramento Kings but not to the Sacramento River Cats. It would cover major-league baseball, football, basketball, hockey and soccer teams, beginning July 2013.

No professional league or team has taken a position yet on the bill, introduced Feb. 24. National Basketball Association spokesman Tim Frank said he is not familiar with AB 2464. Baseball and football officials could not be reached for comment Monday.

Italy and England have adopted similar laws to crack down on hooligans at soccer games, Gatto said.

"Everybody who is at these ballparks are sports fans," Gatto said. "So to take away what they love, to say, 'You can't attend a game anymore,' that's a real penalty to them."

Republican lawmakers have not yet seen AB 2464, but two interviewed Monday said they were wary of its $10,000 cost to each team and the viability of requiring the state to maintain the ban list.

Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries, R-Lake Elsinore, questioned the wisdom of banning violent felons who commit their crime at a stadium but not violent felons who commit their crime elsewhere.

"I don't feel that we, with a straight face, can say that one violent felon is OK but another is not," Jeffries said.

Gatto countered that it makes no sense to penalize felons who committed their crimes decades ago, far from any stadium.

Sacramentans at MVP's sports bar Friday had mixed feelings about AB 2464.

Bill Witry, 48, said he sees no reason to create another layer of bureaucracy when violent offenders will be jailed "for a long time anyway."

Kelsey Taylor, 22, said she has worn opposing jerseys to Oakland Raiders and San Jose Sharks games and never felt threatened. She doubts that extreme violence at stadiums is common.

"I've never had a problem yet," she said.

Other sports fans applauded Gatto.

"I'm a hockey fan – I like my violence on the ice," said Douglas Mower, 29.

"You have people of all ages at the games, so I think people should be held accountable," said Craig Shoemaker, 37.

John Lovell, lobbyist for the California Police Chiefs Association, called the bill thought-provoking but said he has taken no position on it, pending analysis.

"I think it's a good idea," Lovell said of a ban list. "And I think what you're going to see is the general public look at that and say, "Finally – someone's addressing this.' "

[jkr]

no man shall sell or purchase or see tha RAIIIDDAAAAA's baby!


will they ever learn?

[Agorism]

Woah, very discriminatory towards "soccer fans"

[VBRonPaulFan]

what's wrong with the assault and battery laws that put people who bring violence ANYWHERE behind bars?

[aGameOfThrones]

90% Occupancy.

Sure, banned fans could sidestep the law and have relatives or friends buy tickets for them, but if they subsequently caused a commotion and were discovered at a stadium, their presence could draw a one-year jail sentence and a $10,000 fine.

[pcosmar]

Oh goody.
another list.

[Anti Federalist]

90% Occupancy.

Get your Combat Quals.

Ooo, and couple this database with facial recognition technology, that would permit "authorities" to scan tens of thousands of faces at one event.

Oh hell yeah, a whole convoy of full paddy wagons every game.

[donnay]

One thing will happen if this is made into law, we will definitely see a revolution!! You take their bread and circuses away and you will motivate people.

So I say it is a good thing to wake people up!!

[cjm]

One thing will happen if this is made into law, we will definitely see a revolution!! You take their bread and circuses away and you will motivate people.

So I say it is a good thing to wake people up!!

I initially thought that too. But since the number of people banned will be dwarfed by the number of people who now feel safer at the circuses, this is a circus enhancing move.

[Czolgosz]

Divide and conquer is the easiest approach to removing freedom for all.

[narrowphoenix]

Good bye raider fans!

[HOLLYWOOD]

Good bye raider fans!

no $#@!

Incidents like Stow's beating would be covered by AB 2464, for example, as would the violence last year at Candlestick Park during a San Francisco 49ers-

I was there at Candlestick... I didn't think of it at the time, but if you were to recycle all the bottles and cans via CRV 10 cents per container, well, you'd be buying season tickets on the free. Man I never saw so many bottle and cans everywhere! But, if you want to know what half the problem is the exorbitant prices for food and booze inside these stadiums. What do fans do, Binge Drink on the cheap before going into the stadium.
You can drink a 12 pack for what they want for one draft 12oz beer, so people feel they are being ripped-off and compensate accordingly.

The California law solution is ridiculous...let's look, it will be $35,000 alone to house one person a year in jail, plus all the court time, resources and expenses. Discriminates against taxpayers(they pickup the expenses and future crime tabs), discriminates against felons, and it won't discourage alcohol induced morons from clashing, especially gang-bangers. PS: Aren't the California Prisons and Jails already overcapacity? Yeah, like everyone says, "I went to California on Vacation and came back on probation."

RFK stadium in Philly, had a jail in the stadium with a judge... most got 4hrs in jail, a $40 dollar fine, and missed the rest of the game. Now the California Commies want to escalate this into the stratosphere. Waiting for when it's illegal to step on a crack in the sidewalks. Any takers? NY? MASS?