What's happening
This bill makes it a class C felony to assault a social worker while they are performing their duties.
Why it matters
Elevates protection for social workers. By adding social workers to the same legal category as police, firefighters, and EMTs, the bill recognizes the risks social workers face and aims to deter violence against them through stricter penalties.
May impact workplace safety and retention. With the threat of harsher legal consequences for assaults, social work agencies may see improved morale and potentially greater ability to recruit and retain staff in high-risk roles.
Signals societal value of social work. Including social workers in this law sends a message that their work is essential and that their safety matters, potentially influencing public perception and support for the profession.
Could affect prosecution and sentencing. Prosecutors would have greater leverage in charging individuals who assault social workers, possibly leading to more severe sentences and increased accountability for offenders.
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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
1772
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 16, 2019
Introduced by Sen. LANZA -- 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 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 amended by chapter 476 of the laws of 2018, is amended to read as follows: § 120.08 Assault on a peace officer, police officer, firefighter [or],
emergency medical services professional or social worker.
A person is guilty of assault on a peace officer, police officer, firefighter [or], emergency medical services professional or social worker when, with intent to prevent a peace officer, police officer, a firefighter, including a firefighter acting as a paramedic or emergency medical technician administering first aid in the course of performance of duty as such firefighter, [or] an emergency medical service paramedic or emergency medical service technician[,] or social worker from performing a lawful duty, he or she causes serious physical injury to such peace officer, police officer, firefighter, paramedic [or], technician or social worker.
Assault on a peace officer, police officer, firefighter [or], emergency medical services professional or social worker is a class C felony.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07426-01-9
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 worker a felony
Purpose
Provides that conviction of assault on a social worker which prevents him or her from performing a lawful duty is a felony
Summary of 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
2018: S.6291 - Third Reading Calendar 2017: S.6291 - Passed Senate 2016: S.3489 - Passed Senate 2015: S.3489 - Passed Senate 2014: Referred to Codes 2011: S.2947 - Referred to Codes/A.4798- Referred to Codes
Fiscal implications
Unknown.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding the date on which 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.