A bill that increases the punishment for assaulting a hospital worker to a fourth-degree felony has passed the Ohio House of Representatives by a wide margin.
While the bill’s prospects in the Senate are uncertain, it’s already progressed farther than a nearly identical bill that never made it to a vote in the state’s prior legislative session.
House Bill 62 passed by a vote of 85 to 12.
The law would cover anyone who works in a hospital — doctors, nurses, clerks, medical technicians, security officers and others.
Fourth-degree felonies are punishable by prison terms between six and 18 months, and a fine up to $5,000. Assault is typically treated as a lesser offense, such as a first-degree misdemeanor, which calls for punishment of up to six months in jail and a fine up to $1,000.
The Ohio Hospital Assn. and Ohio State Medical Assn., which represents the state’s physicians, supported the proposal.
The bill was sponsored by Rep. Anne Gonzales (R) who wasn’t immediately available for comment.
"We believe even verbally alerting a potential assailant that assaulting a healthcare professional is a felony may help defuse many situations," she told the Columbus Dispatch.
HB 62 is curiously similar to another piece of legislation, HB 154, that was proposed during the current session.
