Sponsors (68)
The bill strengthens protections and resources for hospital workers by creating a federal crime, tougher penalties, grants, and cross-jurisdiction coordination, but does so by expanding federal criminal jurisdiction—raising federal costs, risking duplication/overreach, and increasing incarceration risks that may fall unevenly on vulnerable groups.
Healthcare workers (hospital and clinic staff) gain a new federal crime with stronger penalties, increasing tools for prosecution and likely deterring assaults on personnel.
Hospitals and health systems can receive federal grants to fund training, security upgrades, and prevention programs to better protect staff and patients.
State and federal prosecutors gain improved federal coordination and investigative support for assaults that cross jurisdictions, helping solve and prosecute complex interstate cases.
Defendants face tougher federal penalties that increase incarceration risk, which could disproportionately harm racial and ethnic minority communities if charging and sentencing discretion is uneven.
Expanding federal jurisdiction and creating a federal crime for many hospital-related assaults shifts cases to federal courts, raises costs for taxpayers, risks duplicating or displacing state prosecutions, and sets a precedent for broader federal reach into local matters.
People with disabilities may receive limited protection from the bill's affirmative defense in practice, meaning some disability-related incidents could still result in prosecution despite mitigating circumstances.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Makes assaulting or intimidating hospital personnel while they perform duties a new federal crime, enabling federal prosecution when interstate factors exist.
Creates a new federal crime prohibiting the knowing assault or intimidation of hospital personnel while they are performing their duties and when the conduct interferes with or limits those duties. The law declares congressional findings that workplace violence against hospital and health care employees is widespread, harms patients and care delivery, and often involves interstate commerce, and it adds federal jurisdiction to enable prosecution and intergovernmental cooperation. The bill does not appropriate new funds or change federal programs; it adds a criminal offense to Title 18 to allow federal law enforcement to investigate and prosecute assaults and intimidation directed at hospital employees and contractors acting in the scope of their duties.
Official title: To protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 5, 2025 by Madeleine Dean · Last progress May 5, 2025