Anyone convicted of assaulting emergency room nurses and doctors in California will face jail time and heavy fines starting Jan. 1, 2025, when a new law protecting the workers goes into effect.
The California Medical Association created Assembly Bill (AB) 977, which was shepherded through the Legislature by former Assemblyman Freddie Rodriguez of Chino.
Rodriguez, who left the Legislature at the end of this year, said the bill was necessary to give health care workers the respect they deserved.
“One-third of emergency nurses have considered leaving due to workplace violence,” Rodriguez said in a social media post on June 3.
The bill unanimously passed the state Assembly and state Senate during last year’s session….