A bill for an act relating to assaults on persons engaged in certain occupations including a health care provider, and making penalties applicable.

This bill amends Iowa law to expand the definition of "health care provider" to include individuals working, volunteering, or in training at hospitals or rural emergency hospitals. It makes it a more serious offense to assault such providers in hospitals, ambulances, or during patient transport, presuming the attacker knew the victim was a health care worker. Penalties range from a serious misdemeanor (up to 1 year in jail and $2,560 fine) to a class D felony (up to 5 years in jail and $10,245 fine). The bill directly affects healthcare workers in these settings by increasing legal consequences for assaults against them.