2000 State Legislative Trends

Violence in the workplace has been a growing trend among many businesses, and health care facilities are no exception.  Working as an employee in a health care facility is considered to be the third most dangerous job in the United States.  Concern for the safety of our patients and health care employees has reached the statehouses as legislators begin to seek remedies to this problem. Mid-year in 2000, 17 bills have been introduced in 12 states.  So far, two have become law.  VA approved a joint resolution that would direct the state crime commission to study workplace violence and make recommendations.  WA is now requiring each state hospital to develop a plan to prevent and protect employees from violence.  The plan shall be developed in conjunction with the hospital's safety committee.  Failure to comply will result in a citation.  Ten bills are still pending.  Of interest, NJ has 3 bills:  one would establish a Task Force on Workplace Violence and another would create the Workplace Violence Safety Act permitting employers to seek temporary restraining orders.  Restraining orders were the subject of a bill in GA that did not pass and one still pending in OK.  A third bill in NJ would require evaluation of risk of workplace violence and require implementation of violence prevention training programs.  NY has 2 similar bills pending.  MA and RI would designate assault and battery on emergency room personnel as a felony while IL considers adding health care workers to their aggravated assault and battery provisions.  A bill in VT to establish sentencing guidelines for assault of emergency medical personnel did not pass.  Bills in KY and MN would have studied the incidence and frequency of workplace violence but neither one passed.

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