Members of the Florida Senate Health Policy Committee voted unanimously March 20 to advance a bill that would enhance criminal penalties for people who knowingly commit assault or battery upon workers at a hospital.
The vote advances the bill to the Florida Senate Committee on Rules.
Under the bill, assailants who assault a worker at a hospital would face a misdemeanor charge of the first degree rather than a misdemeanor charge of the second degree.
A charge for battery would be enhanced from a misdemeanor of the first degree to a felony of the third degree. A charge for aggravated assault would be enhanced from a felony of the third degree to a felony of the second degree. A charge for aggravated battery would be enhanced from a felony of the second degree to a felony of the first degree.
The bill is supported by the Florida Hospital Association and has a House companion bill that was presented in its first committee this month and voted on favorably, according to floridapolitics.com.