What's happening
This bill makes it a class C felony to assault a social services worker in New York, similar to protections for police and emergency personnel.
Why it matters
Expands legal protections to social services workers. , recognizing the risks they face on the job and placing their safety on par with that of police officers, firefighters, and EMTs.
Creates stronger deterrence against violence targeting these workers. by making assaults that cause serious physical injury a class C felony, which can mean significant prison time.
Acknowledges the essential role and vulnerability of social services workers. such as those handling child welfare, homelessness, or family services—who frequently interact with people in crisis or volatile situations.
May impact staffing and workplace safety policies. in social services agencies, as increased legal protections could help recruitment and retention, and signal a broader institutional commitment to worker safety.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Make Assaulting Social Workers Felony
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2259
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 12, 2017
Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to making conviction of assault of a social services worker a felony
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 120.08 of the penal law, as added by chapter 632 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read as follows: § 120.08 Assault on a peace officer, police officer, fireman [or], emer-
gency medical services professional or social services
worker.
A person is guilty of assault on a peace officer, police officer, fireman [or], emergency medical services professional or social services worker when, with intent to prevent a peace officer, police officer, a fireman, including a fireman acting as a paramedic or emergency medical technician administering first aid in the course of performance of duty as such fireman, [or] an emergency medical service paramedic or emergency medical service technician[,] or social services worker from performing a lawful duty, he or she causes serious physical injury to such peace officer, police officer, fireman, paramedic [or], technician or social services worker.
Assault on a peace officer, police officer, fireman [or], emergency medical services professional or social services worker is a class C felony.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06889-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the penal law, in relation to making conviction of assault of a social services worker a felony
Purpose of bill
Provides that conviction of assault on a social worker which prevents him or her from performing a lawful duty is a felony.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one. Section 120.08 of the penal law, as added by chapter 632 of the laws of the 1996, is amended to make the conviction of assault on a social worker which prevents them from performing their lawful duty a felony.
Justification
This legislation would make assaulting a social worker a Felony Crime a protection that is already granted to Teachers, Police Officers, and Transit Workers.
Legislative history
2015-2016: S.2506 - Referred to Codes 2013-2014: S.2704 - Referred to Codes 2011-12: S.5345/A.4525A - Referred to Codes 2010: A.4404
Fiscal implications
Unknown.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.