Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council passes ordinance expanding menacing offense to cover healthcare workers; vote 10-0 after suspension of rules
Summary
Council amended Title 13 of Akron’s codified ordinances to add protections for healthcare workers following testimony from local healthcare leaders; the council suspended rules and approved the measure unanimously.
Akron City Council voted unanimously to amend the city’s codified ordinances to expand the menacing offense to cover attacks on health-care workers. Councilman McKittrick presented the ordinance and said local health-care leaders had outlined a “very scary uptick in violence” against health-care staff.
The ordinance amends Title 13, General Offenses, chapter 135, Offenses Against Persons, article 1, section 135.06 (menacing) of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Akron. Council McKittrick said the change mirrors prior modifications made to protect other high-risk workers and asked for suspension of the rules to allow immediate passage; the council agreed to suspend the rules.
A roll call recorded supporting votes from council members during the item and the motion passed 10 to 0. The council recorded the committee report as favorable and declared the ordinance an emergency.
Why this matters: Council cited testimony from local health-care leaders describing increased threats to staff. The ordinance change criminalizes certain threatening conduct toward health-care workers under the menacing statute in the city code, and the emergency declaration means the amendment takes effect immediately under city procedures.
What’s next: The ordinance was passed in this meeting and will be incorporated into the codified ordinances. Council did not identify an implementation timeline beyond the emergency declaration.
