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Senate approves new aggravated‑assault offense for assaults on health‑care workers
Summary
The Senate approved a bill creating the criminal offense of aggravated assault on a health‑care worker and making it a Class D felony; debate focused on whether the law creates a special class of victims and protections for front‑line workers. The bill passed 32–1–1 (one not voting).
The Senate passed legislation defining aggravated assault on health‑care workers as a discrete criminal offense and designating the offense as a Class D felony, senators said on the floor.
Senator Irvin, the bill sponsor, told colleagues the measure was drafted with input from health‑care stakeholders and is intended to protect “our health care workers that are on the front lines dealing with patients every day.” She described the bill as a response to real incidents experienced by health‑care workers and added it was designed to give prosecutors a clearer offense for assaults in clinical settings.
Senator Sullivan questioned whether the bill would create a special class of victims who receive greater protection than others and asked whether similar protections should apply to other groups, naming prison guards as an example. “Here, it appears we're setting a certain segment of people outside of the boundaries for the regular citizen,” Sullivan said.
Senator Clark and others noted requests from their districts for similar protections; Irvin said the bill addresses the daily, unique risks that clinical staff face and thanked colleagues for support. The floor later recorded the roll: the secretary announced the final tally as 32 yeas, 1 nay and 1 not voting; the bill passed and was transmitted to the House.
Ending: Supporters said the bill targets assaults that occur in the clinical setting and will give prosecutors a clearer statutory vehicle to charge aggravated assaults on health‑care providers. The measure now goes to the House for further consideration.
