Battery; if person commits against emergency health care providers, penalty. (HB1690)

Introduced By

Del. Chris Stolle (R-Virginia Beach)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Assault and battery of emergency health care providers; penalty.  Provides that the punishment for assault and battery upon a physician, physician's assistant, nurse, or nurse practitioner who is engaged in the performance of his duties as an emergency health care provider in an emergency room of a hospital or clinic or on the premises of any other facility rendering emergency medical care is a Class 1 misdemeanor, including a term of confinement of 15 days in jail, two days of which shall be a mandatory minimum term of confinement. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
01/10/2011Committee
01/10/2011Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/12/11 11100219D
01/10/2011Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/14/2011Assigned Courts sub: #1 Criminal
01/17/2011Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (8-Y 1-N)
01/19/2011Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (19-Y 3-N) (see vote tally)
01/21/2011Read first time
01/24/2011Impact statement from DPB (HB1690)
01/24/2011Read second time
01/24/2011Committee amendments agreed to
01/24/2011Engrossed by House as amended HB1690E
01/24/2011Printed as engrossed 11100219D-E
01/25/2011Read third time and passed House (92-Y 7-N)
01/25/2011VOTE: PASSAGE (92-Y 7-N) (see vote tally)
01/26/2011Constitutional reading dispensed
01/26/2011Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/28/2011Impact statement from DPB (HB1690E)
02/04/2011Assigned Courts sub: Criminal
02/14/2011Reported from Courts of Justice (7-Y 6-N) (see vote tally)
02/14/2011Rereferred to Finance
02/16/2011Reported from Finance (12-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/17/2011Constitutional reading dispensed (38-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/18/2011Read third time
02/18/2011Passed Senate (33-Y 7-N) (see vote tally)
02/25/2011Enrolled
02/25/2011Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1690ER)
02/25/2011Impact statement from DPB (HB1690ER)
02/25/2011Signed by Speaker
02/25/2011Signed by President
03/18/2011G Approved by Governor-Chapter 233 (effective 7/1/11)
03/18/2011G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0233)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 2 clips in all, totaling 8 minutes.

Comments

Bearing Drift, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

Bearing Drift supports this bill as commonsense legislation. Assault is an offense regardless, but when committed against care providers it's unconscionable. The bill's patron, Del. Chris Stolle of Virginia Beach said, "Health care workers are 400% more likely to be assaulted in the work place than is the average worker in the US. This bill protects those who are always ready to save lives and will serve to retain a skilled workforce of healthcare professionals."

HB1690 would protect the safety of emergency health care providers in an emergency room of a hospital or clinic on the premises of a hospital emergency room or a clinic rendering emergency medical care a Class 1 misdemeanor, including a 15 day jail term.