The vote advances the bill to the Florida Senate Committee on Rules.
Under the bill, assailants who assault a worker at a hospital would face a misdemeanor charge of the first degree rather than a misdemeanor charge of the second degree.
A charge for battery would be enhanced from a misdemeanor of the first degree to a felony of the third degree. A charge for aggravated assault would be enhanced from a felony of the third degree to a felony of the second degree. A charge for aggravated battery would be enhanced from a felony of the second degree to a felony of the first degree.
The bill is supported by the Florida Hospital Association and has a House companion bill that was presented in its first committee this month and voted on favorably, according to floridapolitics.com.
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