This bill seeks to significantly increase penalties for individuals who assault law enforcement officers and other designated public service personnel, including emergency responders and medical personnel. It reclassifies aggravated assault against law enforcement officers as a second-degree crime, which prohibits prosecutors from allowing pleas to lesser offenses. Additionally, the bill ensures that convictions for such assaults will not merge with other criminal offenses and stipulates that mandatory incarceration terms will only apply if the assault results in bodily injury or serious bodily injury to the officer.

Moreover, the legislation enhances penalties for assaults involving bodily fluids against public service personnel, raising the charge to a second-degree crime if the victim suffers bodily injury. It also mandates that individuals charged with this offense undergo testing for communicable diseases, with any positive results disclosed to the victim. Overall, the bill aims to bolster protections for public service personnel and ensure accountability for violent acts committed against them.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2C:12-13