The Save Healthcare Workers Act creates a new federal crime for assaulting hospital employees while they are performing their duties on hospital grounds. The law carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and fines, with enhanced penalties of up to 20 years if the assault involves a dangerous weapon, causes serious bodily injury, or occurs during a declared public emergency. The legislation applies to workers at various types of hospitals including traditional hospitals, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centers, and critical access hospitals engaged in interstate commerce. The bill includes a narrow legal defense for individuals with disabilities whose conduct was a direct result of that disability. Finally, the law requires the Government Accountability Office to study how the new federal assault provision affects workplace violence rates in healthcare settings and whether it leads to increased federal prosecutions.
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