A bill signed by Texas governor Greg Abbot gives sports officials in the state the ability to remove unruly fans without a warning.
According to WFFA, bill SB 2929, which was signed by Abbot, allows officials at scholastic athletic events to remove spectators, without warning, from events sponsored or sanctioned by the school district or the University Interscholastic League starting in the 2025-2026 school year.
Previously, officials were required to issue a verbal warning before removing a fan from an event.
"These requirements hinder referees, judges, or other officials from responding appropriately to highly disruptive or dangerous spectators during UIL events," Texas senator Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), the bill's sponsor, said in the analysis. "SB 2929 seeks to improve student safety and avoid disruption of certain school events by allowing certain individuals to immediately eject spectators from UIL events."
While the law has already been enacted, Texas Policy Research voted against the bill due to threats to individual liberty and weakened personal responsibility. They said, “The bill weakens individual liberty by removing procedural safeguards that protect a person’s right to fair treatment at public events.”
