This legislative bill aims to strengthen protections for frontline behavioral health providers and health care workers by prohibiting assaults against them. It amends various sections of the Nebraska Revised Statutes to introduce new definitions for "frontline behavioral health provider" and "public safety officer," while also revising existing provisions related to assaults on these individuals. The bill eliminates previous classifications of assault against certain employees and health care professionals, replacing them with broader protections for the newly defined categories. It establishes penalties for different degrees of assault, categorizing them as Class I, II, or IIIA felonies, and specifies enhanced penalties for assaults involving bodily fluids if the perpetrator is aware of infection.

Additionally, the bill addresses unlawful membership recruitment into criminal organizations by making it a Class IV felony to coerce individuals into joining such groups. It updates the language regarding assaults on public safety officers and health care workers, replacing previous terms with more inclusive language. The bill also introduces new disqualifying offenses related to assaults on these protected individuals, deleting the previous language that referred to a broader range of employees. Structural changes include the renumbering of offenses and the repeal of outdated sections, aiming to clarify the legal framework surrounding habitual criminality and enhance public safety through stricter criteria for disqualifying convictions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 28-101, 28-115, 28-929.01, 28-929, 28-930, 28-931, 28-934, 28-929.02, 28-1351, 28-1354, 29-2221, 84-941.01