MADISON, Wis. (AP) — It will be a felony to bodily assault or threaten a well being care employee beneath a invoice the Wisconsin Meeting is scheduled to approve Wednesday.
The proposal with bipartisan help creates the brand new felony crime of battery in opposition to an individual who’s a well being care supplier. It expands present regulation that makes it a felony to commit battery in opposition to a nurse, an emergency medical care supplier or an individual who’s working in an emergency division.
Well being care suppliers instructed tales at a public listening to earlier this month about instances the place sufferers have threatened medical doctors and others who have been trying to supply them care.
The measure additionally makes it a felony to threaten a well being care employee of their official capability or in response to one thing that occurred at a well being care facility. It additionally extends to relations of a well being care supplier.
It will be punishable by as much as six years in jail and a $10,000 tremendous.
The measure has broad help from greater than two dozen well being care and regulation enforcement organizations, together with the Wisconsin Medical Society, the Wisconsin Hospital Affiliation, SSM Well being and the Marshfield Clinic Well being Care System.