SB435

Senate Bill 435 seeks to establish the criminal offense of 'aggravated assault upon a healthcare worker' in Arkansas. The bill provides a comprehensive definition of a 'healthcare worker,' extending to include clinical staff, administrative personnel, janitorial staff, and security staff working in various healthcare settings. The new offense is defined as purposefully creating a potential danger of infection by exposing a healthcare worker to bodily fluids such as saliva, blood, urine, feces, or seminal fluid. Committing this act is classified as a Class D felony. Additionally, the bill amends existing statutes to clarify the categories of healthcare personnel protected under battery laws. The legislation includes provisions to ensure it does not override existing juvenile transfer procedures or rules regarding a defendant’s fitness to stand trial.