By Katy Grimes

Legislators have just involved themselves in professional sports. A bill was passed in the Assembly Thursday requiring all owners of all professional stadiums and sports arenas to post signs displaying the text message number and phone number to contact arena security in order to report a violent act.

Whatever, right?

But the bill started out as something very different.

AB 2464 by Assemblyman Mike Gatto, D-Silver Lake, originally would have required stadiums and arenas to develop and maintain a list of individuals to be excluded or ejected from all professional sports arenas if they had been involved in a “violent act” at an arena or stadium.

Before being amended, the bill stated, “the banned persons list may include any person
whose presence in a professional sports arena is determined by the courts to pose a threat to the well-being and safety of those in attendance at professional sporting events.”

How creepy–especially in this era of very subjective ideas of “violence.” Daring to question a cop in many cases can bring about an arrest.

And, the bill was far too broad in its inclusion of nearly every serious felony including a special section just on child and sexual offendser.

Perhaps one of the most disturbing aspects of the bill was it would have allowed a list of the addresses of the banned persons to be published. The bill’s analysis said, “The banned
persons list would be name-based, not biometric, and therefore there would be no definitive way to identify a person on the list. This could leave the DOJ open to litigation were the wrong person may be banned from sports arenas because he or she has the same name or is similar in appearance to a banned person.

Ironically, the Assembly just passed a bill yesterday that will allow public safety professionals to keep their property addresses hidden from the public.

Both bills were sponsored by the California Police Chiefs Association, a group that is becoming more and more aggressive about increasing police authority, and lessening the rights of private citizens.

Fortunately, AB 2464 was so bad, it was dramatically amended and became just a nuisance bill for arena and stadium owners, with the signage requirement.

But, the reason I point this bill out is because I want people to see the kind of personal rights violations and liberty reducing legislation lawmakers think is a good idea. Here is the bill, in its original form, as well as the original legislative analysis pointing out the gross flaws and legal issues.

Take the time to read the bill, and please leave me your comments. I have provided the link to all versions of the bill, as well as all of the analyses.

At a time when governments and citizens of California are bankrupt, the NFL could build at least one incredibly expensive stadium in the Bay Area: $735 million for the Oakland Raiders (formerly the L.A. Traitors). And $937 million for the San Francisco (gold-digging) 49ers.

The 49ers stadium would be paid with a lot of tax money. Tax dollars likely would be needed for an Oakland stadium, too. Even though Oakland still is paying off the debt on its existing stadium, the Coliseum!

Oh, and let’s remember that 20 years ago the Raiders ripped off the City of Irwindale for $10 million — just for considering moving to the city, which the team didn’t!

Here’s a better idea: Tell these teams to take a hike out of the state.

Southern California lost the Raiders and the Rams more than a decade ago. We don’t miss them. Who needs these tax-sucking parasites? If you want to watch the NFL, turn on the TV on Sunday and Monday.

Let the Raiders and 49ers go to another state. They’ve raided our tax dollars enough.