AI Generated Summary
Purpose
To strengthen protections for frontline workers by expanding the fourth-degree assault statute to include firefighters, emergency medical personnel, and hospital emergency department staff, and to set harsher penalties if bodily harm results.
Main Provisions
- Expansion of protected victims: The bill adds the following people to the list of those protected under the fourth-degree assault statute:
- a member of a municipal or volunteer fire department functioning in the performance of duties, or
- a member of an emergency medical services (EMS) personnel unit functioning in the performance of duties, or
- a physician, nurse, or other person providing health care services working in a hospital emergency department.
- Offense classification:
- If someone physically assaults a protected person described above, the offender is guilty of a gross misdemeanor (unless the conditions in the next point apply).
- Penalty enhancement for bodily harm:
- If the assault on a protected person inflicts demonstrable bodily harm, the offense becomes a felony, with a potential sentence of up to three years in prison or a fine of up to $6,000, or both.
- Conditions:
- The gross misdemeanor applies when the assault occurs to a person in the protected group and the assault does not inflict demonstrable bodily harm.
- The felony applies only when the assault inflicts demonstrable bodily harm.
Significance and Impact
- Strengthens legal protection for firefighters, EMS personnel, and certain health care workers in emergency settings.
- Establishes a higher level of punishment (felony with stated maximums) when demonstrable bodily harm is involved, providing a stronger deterrent and clearer consequences for assaults on frontline workers.
How it changes existing law
- Amends Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement section 609.2231 subdivision 2 to explicitly include firefighters, EMS personnel, and hospital ED staff as protected individuals and to tier penalties based on whether demonstrable bodily harm occurs.
Practical Implications
- Potentially increases prosecutions for assaults against frontline workers.
- Sends a public safety message recognizing the risk faced by these workers during duty.
Terminology and concepts used
- Fourth-degree assault
- Gross misdemeanor
- Felony
- Demonstrable bodily harm
- Firefighters
- Emergency medical services (EMS) personnel
- Hospital emergency department
- Physician
- Nurse
- Health care provider
- In the performance of duties
- Municipal or volunteer fire department
- EMS unit
Notes
- The base offense remains a gross misdemeanor unless demonstrable bodily harm occurs, which escalates to a felony with specified penalties.
Relevant Terms - fourth-degree assault - gross misdemeanor - felony - demonstrable bodily harm - firefighters - emergency medical services personnel - hospital emergency department - physician - nurse - health care provider - municipal fire department - volunteer fire department - in the performance of duties - Minnesota Statutes 609.2231 subdivision 2
Bill text versions
- Introduction PDF PDF file
Actions
| Date | Chamber | Where | Type | Name | Committee Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 07, 2026 | House | Action | Introduction and first reading, referred to | Public Safety Finance and Policy |
Citations
[
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "This bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement section 609.2231, subdivision 2, to address assaults on public safety personnel. It clarifies that assaulting a firefighter, an emergency medical services worker, or certain health care workers in a hospital emergency department, while performing their duties, is punishable, with a tiered penalty depending on whether demonstrable bodily harm occurs.",
"modified": [
"Recasts Subd. 2 to specify that the protected classes include municipal/volunteer firefighters, EMS personnel, and hospital-based physicians, nurses, or other health care providers on duty.",
"Maintains a gross misdemeanor penalty for assault against these persons, but elevates to a felony if the assault inflicts demonstrable bodily harm, with penalties up to 3 years imprisonment or a $6,000 fine (or both)."
]
},
"citation": "609.2231",
"subdivision": "subdivision 2"
}
]Progress through the legislative process
In Committee