Bill > LD532

This bill expands legal protections against assault for health care workers beyond just emergency room staff. Currently, the law only covers assaults occurring in a hospital's emergency room against hospital employees. The proposed changes would broaden the statute to protect all health care workers employed or contracted by any State-licensed health care entity, regardless of their specific work location. Under the new provisions, if someone intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes bodily injury to a health care worker while that worker is performing their job, it would be considered a Class C crime. The bill removes the limitation of the assault occurring specifically in an emergency room and instead focuses on the assault happening during the course of the health care worker's employment. This change aims to provide more comprehensive legal protection for health care workers who may face violence in various health care settings, acknowledging the risks they face across different medical environments.

Justice

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=532&snum=132