HOUSE BILL NO. 4520

May 04, 2023, Introduced by Reps. Mueller and Breen and referred to the Committee on Criminal Justice.

A bill to amend 1931 PA 328, entitled

"The Michigan penal code,"

by amending sections 81 and 81a (MCL 750.81 and 750.81a), section 81 as amended by 2016 PA 87 and section 81a as amended by 2012 PA 366.

the people of the state of michigan enact:

Sec. 81. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person who assaults or assaults and batters an individual, if no other punishment is prescribed by law, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both. If the victim of a violation under this subsection is a health professional or medical volunteer and the violation occurs while the victim is performing the victim's duties as a health professional or medical volunteer, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both. The enhanced fine under this subsection does not apply if the defendant is a patient who is receiving treatment from the victim.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (3), (4), or (5), an individual who assaults or assaults and batters his or her the individual's spouse or former spouse, an individual with whom he or she the individual has or has had a dating relationship, an individual with whom he or she the individual has had a child in common, or a resident or former resident of his or her the individual's household, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both.

(3) An individual who assaults or assaults and batters an individual who is pregnant and who knows the individual is pregnant is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both.

(4) An individual who commits an assault or an assault and battery in violation of subsection (2) or (3), and who has previously been convicted of assaulting or assaulting and battering an individual described in either subsection (2) or subsection (3) under any of the following, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both:

(a) This section or an ordinance of a political subdivision of this state substantially corresponding to this section.

(b) Section 81a, 82, 83, 84, or 86.

(c) A law of another state or an ordinance of a political subdivision of another state substantially corresponding to this section or section 81a, 82, 83, 84, or 86.

(5) An individual who commits an assault or an assault and battery in violation of subsection (2) or (3), and who has 2 or more previous convictions for assaulting or assaulting and battering an individual described in either subsection (2) or subsection (3) under any of the following, is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both:

(a) This section or an ordinance of a political subdivision of this state substantially corresponding to this section.

(b) Section 81a, 82, 83, 84, or 86.

(c) A law of another state or an ordinance of a political subdivision of another state substantially corresponding to this section or section 81a, 82, 83, 84, or 86.

(6) This section does not apply to an individual using necessary reasonable physical force in compliance with section 1312 of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1312.

(7) The operator of a health facility licensed under article 17 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.20101 to 333.22260, shall post a sign in the health facility in a prominent and visible location that provides that a person, other than a patient receiving treatment, who assaults a health professional or medical volunteer in violation of this section is subject to the enhanced fine provided for in this section and that a patient receiving treatment who assaults a health professional or medical volunteer may still be subject to prosecution under this section.

(8) (7) As used in this section: , "dating

(a) "Dating relationship" means frequent, intimate associations primarily characterized by the expectation of affectional involvement. This term does not include a casual relationship or an ordinary fraternization between 2 individuals in a business or social context.

(b) "Health professional" means an individual who is employed by a hospital, health system, or health care provider, whether operated by a governmental unit or a private entity, and whose duties within the scope of that employment involve the provision of direct patient care and require licensure, certification, or other regulation under the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.1101 to 333.25211, or who is providing indirect patient care under the direction of a hospital, health system, or health care provider.

(c) "Medical volunteer" means an individual who is volunteering at a hospital, in a health system, or with a health care provider, whether operated by a governmental unit or a private entity, and whose duties as a volunteer involve the provision of direct patient care, or who is providing indirect patient care under the direction of a hospital, health system, or health care provider.

Sec. 81a. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person who assaults an individual without a weapon and inflicts serious or aggravated injury upon that individual without intending to commit murder or to inflict great bodily harm less than murder is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both. If the victim of a violation under this subsection is a health professional or medical volunteer and the violation occurs while the victim is performing the victim's duties as a health professional or medical volunteer, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $2,000.00, or both. The enhanced fine under this subsection does not apply if the defendant is a patient who is receiving treatment from the victim.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (3), an individual who assaults his or her the individual's spouse or former spouse, an individual with whom he or she the individual has or has had a dating relationship, an individual with whom he or she the individual has had a child in common, or a resident or former resident of the same household without a weapon and inflicts serious or aggravated injury upon that individual without intending to commit murder or to inflict great bodily harm less than murder is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both.

(3) An individual who commits an assault and battery in violation of subsection (2), and who has 1 or more previous convictions for assaulting or assaulting and battering his or her the individual's spouse or former spouse, an individual with whom he or she the individual has or has had a dating relationship, an individual with whom he or she the individual has had a child in common, or a resident or former resident of the same household, in violation of any of the following, is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both:

(a) This section or an ordinance of a political subdivision of this state substantially corresponding to this section.

(b) Section 81, 82, 83, 84, or 86.

(c) A law of another state or an ordinance of a political subdivision of another state substantially corresponding to this section or section 81, 82, 83, 84, or 86.

(4) The operator of a health facility licensed under article 17 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.20101 to 333.22260, shall post a sign in the health facility in a prominent and visible location that provides that a person, other than a patient receiving treatment, who assaults a health professional or medical volunteer in violation of this section is subject to the enhanced fine provided for in this section and that a patient receiving treatment who assaults a health professional or medical volunteer may still be subject to prosecution under this section.

(5) (4) As used in this section: , "dating

(a) "Dating relationship" means frequent, intimate associations primarily characterized by the expectation of affectional involvement. This term does not include a casual relationship or an ordinary fraternization between 2 individuals in a business or social context.

(b) "Health professional" means an individual who is employed by a hospital, health system, or health care provider, whether operated by a governmental unit or a private entity, and whose duties within the scope of that employment involve the provision of direct patient care and require licensure, certification, or other regulation under the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.1101 to 333.25211, or who is providing indirect patient care under the direction of a hospital, health system, or health care provider.

(c) "Medical volunteer" means an individual who is volunteering at a hospital, in a health system, or with a health care provider, whether operated by a governmental unit or a private entity, and whose duties as a volunteer involve the provision of direct patient care, or who is providing indirect patient care under the direction of a hospital, health system, or health care provider.

Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days after the date it is enacted into law.

Enacting section 2. This amendatory act does not take effect unless Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 4521 (request no. 02879'23) of the 102nd Legislature is enacted into law.