Creating the crime of interference with the conduct of a healthcare facility, providing criminal penalties for violation thereof and increasing the criminal penalties for battery of a healthcare provider.
Impact
The passage of HB 2023 will amend existing criminal laws to define certain actions as criminal offenses when directed at healthcare providers and their work environments. This change is intended to provide clearer legal recourse for those who face threats or attacks within healthcare settings. By increasing criminal penalties for offenses like battery against healthcare providers, the bill seeks to deter potential aggressors and promote a safer working environment for medical professionals. Additionally, this legislation may lead to increased reporting of incidents, as the legal protections become more robust.
Summary
House Bill 2023 aims to enhance the protection of healthcare facilities and professionals by creating a specific crime of interference with the conduct of a healthcare facility. The bill establishes criminal penalties for individuals who violate this provision, reinforcing the legal framework intended to protect healthcare providers from violence and disruption while they perform their duties. This legislative move responds to growing concerns about assaults and aggressive behavior towards healthcare personnel, particularly in high-stress healthcare environments.
Contention
While supporters argue that the bill is a necessary response to the alarming trend of violence against healthcare workers, critics may voice concerns regarding the potential for overreach in defining what constitutes interference. There could be fears that the bill might lead to situations where patients facing emotional distress could be unfairly targeted under this new law. Balancing the need for safety with the rights of individuals receiving care is a crucial point of contention in the legislative discussions surrounding HB 2023. This potential conflict highlights the challenges of enacting laws that adequately protect providers without undermining the quality of care and interaction patients receive.
Increasing the criminal penalties for battery of a healthcare provider, adding the placing of controlled substances into pills into the definition of manufacture, increasing the criminal penalties for manufacturing fentanyl and for manufacturing or distributing any controlled substances that are likely to be attractive to minors because of their appearance or packaging, creating a special sentencing rule to make sentences for distributing fentanyl presumptive imprisonment, excluding materials used to detect the presence of fentanyl, ketamine or gamma hydroxybutyric acid from the definition of drug paraphernalia, adding domestic battery and violation of a protection order to the crimes that a person can have the intent to commit when committing burglary or aggravated burglary, increasing criminal penalties for the crime of interference with law enforcement when the violation involves fleeing from a law enforcement officer and authorizing the attorney general to prosecute certain crimes that are part of an alleged course of criminal conduct that occurred in two or more counties.
Creating the crime of organized retail crime, providing criminal penalties for violation thereof, increasing the criminal penalties for theft of certain property, including organized retail crime in the definition of racketeering activity under the Kansas racketeer influenced and corrupt organization act and authorizing the attorney general to prosecute crimes that are part of an alleged course of criminal conduct that occurred in two or more counties.
Creating the crimes of interference with a security camera in a correctional facility and aggravated interference with a security camera in a correctional facility and providing criminal penalties therefor.
Creating the crime of aggravated sexual extortion, providing criminal penalties for violations thereof and adding making a demand for money or other thing of value to the elements of sexual extortion.
Creating the crime of aggravated sexual extortion, providing criminal penalties for violations thereof and adding making a demand for money or other thing of value to the elements of sexual extortion.
Increasing the criminal penalties for battery of a healthcare provider, adding the placing of controlled substances into pills into the definition of manufacture, increasing the criminal penalties for manufacturing fentanyl and for manufacturing or distributing any controlled substances that are likely to be attractive to minors because of their appearance or packaging, creating a special sentencing rule to make sentences for distributing fentanyl presumptive imprisonment, excluding materials used to detect the presence of fentanyl, ketamine or gamma hydroxybutyric acid from the definition of drug paraphernalia, adding domestic battery and violation of a protection order to the crimes that a person can have the intent to commit when committing burglary or aggravated burglary, increasing criminal penalties for the crime of interference with law enforcement when the violation involves fleeing from a law enforcement officer and authorizing the attorney general to prosecute certain crimes that are part of an alleged course of criminal conduct that occurred in two or more counties.
Requiring the secretary for aging and disability services to grant physical environment waivers for certain rural emergency hospitals to provide skilled nursing facility care and establishing the south central regional mental health hospital.
An Act Concerning Parole Opportunities For Individuals Serving Lengthy Sentences For Crimes Committed Before The Individual Turned Twenty-one Years Of Age.