S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
7405
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
September 29, 2021
___________
Introduced by Sen. KRUEGER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to expanding the offense of
assault in the second degree to include the causing of injury to a
frontline employee enforcing a city or state rule or regulation
related to controlling the spread of communicable diseases
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Legislative intent. The purpose of this act is to provide
additional protection to the frontline employees who have been deputized
by the state and by local governments to enforce the various rules and
regulations surrounding controlling the spread of communicable diseases.
State and local governments have instituted various policies such as
requiring the wearing of personal protective equipment and requiring
patrons to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19. They have left
enforcement of such policies up to local restaurants, venue employees,
bus drivers, teachers and other frontline employees. Recent attacks on
restaurant employees have shown that due to the politicized nature of
these public health policies, we must provide additional protection to
frontline employees who are charged with enforcing the various rules and
regulations put forth to reduce the spread of communicable diseases.
§ 2. Section 120.05 of the penal law is amended by adding a new subdi-
vision 15 to read as follows:
15. WITH INTENT TO PREVENT OR OBSTRUCT ANY FRONTLINE EMPLOYEE FROM
ENFORCING ANY CITY OR STATE RULE OR REGULATION RELATED TO CONTROLLING
THE SPREAD OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, HE OR SHE CAUSES PHYSICAL INJURY TO
SUCH FRONTLINE EMPLOYEE.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13271-01-1