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 increases penalties for willful violations of related provisions, changing the classification from a misdemeanor to a felony and raising the fines from $100 to $200 for first offenses, and up to $1,000 for subsequent offenses.

Furthermore, the bill enhances penalties for malicious and unlawful assaults against these professionals, increasing the minimum and maximum confinement periods and fines. For instance, the minimum confinement for malicious assault is raised from three to six years, while the maximum is increased from fifteen to thirty years. Similarly, unlawful assault penalties are adjusted to a minimum of four years and a maximum of ten years. The bill also specifies that individuals convicted of crimes against correctional employees cannot have their sentences run concurrently with any other sentences they are serving at the time of the offense. Overall, the legislation seeks to provide stronger protections and consequences for crimes committed against essential service personnel.

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