This bill aims to amend existing laws in West Virginia regarding crimes against law enforcement, firefighters, governmental representatives, health care providers, utility workers, correctional employees, and emergency medical service personnel. It introduces a felony offense for attacking, hindering, or obstructing a firefighter or emergency equipment, with penalties that include confinement in a state correctional facility for one to ten years, or a fine of up to $1,000. Additionally, the bill reclassifies certain offenses from misdemeanors to felonies and increases the fines and confinement periods for various assaults against these personnel, reflecting a significant enhancement of penalties for such crimes.

Key changes include increasing the minimum confinement for malicious assault from three to six years and for unlawful assault from two to four years. The bill also raises the maximum confinement for these offenses and modifies fines for battery and assault, with maximum fines increasing from $500 to $1,000 and from $200 to $400, respectively. Furthermore, it stipulates that individuals convicted of crimes against correctional employees cannot have their sentences run concurrently with other sentences they are serving at the time of the offense. Overall, the bill seeks to provide stronger legal protections for individuals serving in critical public safety roles.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 29-3A-4, 61-2-10b