Federal Felony Charges, 10-Year Prison Sentences Proposed for Assaulting Hospital Staff; $25M Grant Fund Created for Hospital Security

This bill, the Save Healthcare Workers Act, aims to tackle the rising problem of violence in medical facilities by making a serious federal offense out of assaulting hospital staff. Specifically, it creates a new federal crime for anyone who knowingly assaults a hospital employee or contractor while they are working, if that action stops or limits their ability to do their job. If convicted of the basic assault, you’re looking at fines or up to 10 years in prison.

The New Federal Hammer: What Changes for Assault

Right now, most workplace assault cases are handled at the state level. This bill nationalizes the issue for hospitals. The penalties get significantly steeper if a dangerous weapon is used or if the assault causes actual bodily injury—in those cases, the maximum prison sentence jumps to 20 years. That 20-year maximum also applies if the assault occurs during a declared public emergency, like a pandemic or a major disaster. This is a big deal because it takes these incidents from local courts to federal jurisdiction, often meaning harsher penalties and more serious charges.

However, the bill includes a crucial nuance: an affirmative defense for those with a physical, mental, or intellectual disability. If a defendant’s actions were a direct result of that disability, they can use this as a defense. This recognizes that not all violence in a hospital setting is malicious; sometimes, it’s a consequence of a patient’s condition. For the federal statute to apply, the assault must specifically prevent or limit the employee from doing their work, which introduces a layer of subjectivity that prosecutors will have to navigate when deciding whether to take on a case.

The Security Upgrade Fund: $25 Million for Safer Hospitals

The second major part of the Act establishes the “Grant Program for Hospital Workforce Safety and Security.” This program authorizes $25 million annually from 2025 through 2034 for hospitals to improve their security. Think of it as federal funding to finally fix the broken security door or get the training staff have been asking for.

Hospitals can use this money for a few key areas. They can train staff in violence prevention and de-escalation techniques—the kind of training that helps a nurse calm a volatile situation before it turns physical. They can also use the funds for physical security measures. This means installing things like metal detectors, panic buttons, better video surveillance, and creating safer zones for staff and patients. For a small, critical access hospital in a rural area, this funding could be the difference between having basic security and implementing a modern safety plan.

To get the money, hospitals must apply to the Attorney General, detailing exactly how they plan to use the funds and promising to report all the financial and program data. The bill also requires the Attorney General to try and distribute the funds fairly across urban, suburban, and rural settings. There’s a catch for the hospitals, though: they can only use 2% of the grant money for administrative costs. This tight limit means hospitals will have to be extremely efficient with their paperwork, which can be tough given the complexity of federal grant reporting.