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Bill

SB 419

Crimes against health care providers.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Ron Alting and 13 co-sponsors

Indiana bill SB 419 increases criminal penalties for assaults and batteries against healthcare workers during their professional duties, elevating charges to more serious felonies.

Representative Olthoff added as cosponsor
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Bill Summary · SB 419

Legislative bill overview

SB 419 creates enhanced criminal penalties for assaults, batteries, and other crimes committed against healthcare providers while they are performing their duties. The bill elevates these offenses to more serious felony charges with increased sentencing ranges compared to the same crimes committed against other individuals.

Why is this important

Healthcare workers have reported increasing workplace violence incidents, which can deter people from pursuing medical careers and compromise patient safety when staff are injured or traumatized. Enhanced legal protections aim to acknowledge the unique vulnerability of healthcare providers and create stronger deterrents against workplace violence in medical settings.

Potential points of contention

  • Definitional scope: Questions about which workers qualify as "healthcare providers" (nurses, doctors, EMTs, mental health workers, support staff) and whether the definition is too narrow or too broad
  • Sentencing enhancement justification: Debate over whether healthcare workers deserve different legal protection than other workers in high-risk professions (teachers, police officers, social workers)
  • Implementation concerns: How law enforcement will verify victim occupation during incidents and whether this creates inconsistent application across jurisdictions

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

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