BILL NUMBER: S2080
SPONSOR: COONEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the penal law, in relation to assaults on medical
providers and employees and volunteers of hospitals
 
PURPOSE:
To include physicians, nurses, ambulance, directors, employees, agents
and volunteers of hospitals performing an assigned duty within the Class
D felony of assault in the second degree.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one amends subdivision 3 and 11 of section 120.05 of the penal
law to include assaults on physicians, nurses, and hospital personnel.
Section two establishes the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The current law classifies an assault in the second degree for a variety
of healthcare and public service professionals, including peace offi-
cers, police officers, firefighters, sanitation workers and emergency
medical technicians. This bill provides the same standards for physi-
cians, nurses, and hospital workers by raising the penalty for assaults
on hospital personnel by classifying an assault on hospital personnel as
an assault in the second degree, a Class D felony. This legislation
clarifies the law in order to ensure a safe worker environment for
physicians, nurses, and employees and volunteers of hospitals.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
S9619/A10452 of 2023-24: Referred to Codes
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have
become a law; provided, however that the amendments to subdivision 11 of
section 120.05 of the penal law made by section one of this act take
effect on the same date and in the same manner as section 2 of part Z of
chapter 55 of the laws of 2024 take effect.