Bill > HB1040

This bill, effective July 1, 2026, aims to increase penalties for battery against school and healthcare employees and requires employers to report workplace batteries. Specifically, it amends existing laws to enhance penalties for battery committed against health care employees and school employees, clarifying that this enhancement applies when the employee is acting within the scope of their employment, commuting to or from work, or in retaliation for their work, unless the perpetrator is detained or committed under IC 12-26. The bill also introduces a new requirement for employers of health care or school employees to submit semiannual reports to the department of labor detailing workplace batteries, including information about the incident, the victim's job title, and the circumstances surrounding the battery, starting July 1, 2027. Additionally, it refines the definition of a "Department of Child Services (DCS) employee" for the purpose of battery enhancements to include only those whose responsibilities involve directly supervising, providing services to, or interviewing a child or parent as part of an investigation.

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https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2026/bills/house/1040/details