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HSB 9

A bill for an act relating to assaults on persons engaged in certain occupations including a health care provider, and making penalties applicable.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Expands who qualifies as a health care provider for assault crimes and sets tiered penalties (up to 5 years) to protect hospital staff, EMS workers, and students in care settings.

Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 310.
#assault #felonies #health-relatedprofessions
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Bill Summary · HSB 9

Summary: HF 310 (formerly HSB 9) — Assaults on Health Care Providers

A committee-approved bill that expands protections for health care workers by broadening who qualifies as a health care provider for assault offenses and by specifying penalties. The measure has been renumbered as HF 310.

Purpose and scope

  • The bill aims to strengthen penalties for assaults on persons engaged in health-related professions, including those working in hospitals, during ambulance transport, or while participating in hospital-based education or training.
  • It expands the definition of “health care provider” to cover additional individuals connected to hospital settings and medical education.

Key provisions

Expanded definition of “health care provider”

  • Includes:
    • An emergency medical care provider as defined in Chapter 147A.
    • A person licensed or registered under Chapters 148, 148C, 148D, or 152 who is providing or attempting to provide emergency medical services (as defined in 147A.1).
    • A person providing or attempting to provide health services as defined in section 10A.711.
    • Individuals working, volunteering, or participating in an educational course of instruction at a hospital or rural emergency hospital (as defined in Chapter 135B).

Assault penalties and classifications

  • An assault on a health care provider under this section can be punished as:
    • Serious misdemeanor: confinement up to 1 year; fine from $430 to $2,560.
    • Aggravated misdemeanor: confinement up to 2 years; fine from $855 to $8,540.
    • Class “D” felony: confinement up to 5 years; fine from $1,025 to $10,245.

Presumptions

  • A person who commits an assault against a health care provider in a hospital, at the scene, or during out-of-hospital patient transportation in an ambulance is presumed to know that the person assaulted is a health care provider. This creates a presumption of the target’s status, affecting charging and courtroom determinations.

Who is affected

  • Health care providers broadly defined by the bill, including clinicians, emergency medical personnel, licensed/registered professionals, and students/volunteers in hospital settings.
  • The protection extends to assaults occurring in hospitals, at the scene, or during ambulance transport.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced: January 15, 2025, to Health and Human Services.
  • Subcommittee: January 23, 2025 (Meyer A., Barker, Brown-Powers).
  • Subcommittee action: recommended amendment and passage (January 23, 2025).
  • Committee action:
    • January 23, 2025: Subcommittee recommendation.
    • February 6, 2025: Committee recommended amendment and passage; committee vote 19 yeas, 1 nays, 1 excused.
    • February 10, 2025: Committee report approving bill; renumbered to HF 310.
  • Status: Committee report approving; renumbered as HF 310.

Potential impact

  • Heightened accountability for assaults against health care workers.
  • Clear, tiered penalties aligned with severity of the offense.
  • Easier prosecutorial inference that the assailant recognizes the victim’s status, potentially impacting case strategy.
  • Broader protection for students and volunteers in hospital educational settings.

Note: The summary reflects the version content and legislative actions as provided; fiscal impact or implementation details are not included in the available materials.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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