Florida lawmakers pass crackdown on fans on the field
TALLAHASSEE - The Florida Senate unanimously passed a bill that would crack down on fans who interfere in sports events, with Republican sponsor Corey Simon saying it would help athletes know they are safe.
The vote will send the bill to Gov. Ron DeSantis, as the House also passed it March 31.
The bill, in part, targets people who run onto fields and try to make money off their exploits. It would increase maximum fines for fan interference from $1,000 to $2,500. The bill also would take steps to recover money that people make from entering areas restricted to players, coaches and officials.
Supporters of the bill have pointed to an incident in which a man, clad in a one-piece swimsuit advertising an adult website, ran across the field at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium during the fourth quarter of the 2022 Super Bowl. The man later posted a video on Instagram about the incident, in which he was tackled by security and later charged with misdemeanor trespassing.
Simon is a former All-American football player at Florida State University and a former NFL player.