HF3504 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))
Crime of physically assaulting a hospital or clinic security officer established.
Related bill: SF3926
AI Generated Summary
Purpose
To strengthen protections for hospital and clinic security officers by making it a crime to physically assault them, and to align penalties with existing protections for other first responders and health care workers.
Main Provisions
- The bill adds hospital or clinic security officers to the list of people protected from assault under Minnesota law.
- It amends Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement section 609.2231, subdivision 2.
- As amended, a person who physically assaults:
- a firefighter or emergency medical services (EMS) personnel performing their duties,
- a physician, nurse, or other person providing health care services in a hospital emergency department, or
- a security officer providing services in a hospital or clinic is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
- If the assault inflicts demonstrable bodily harm, the offender is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to up to three years in prison or a fine of up to $6,000, or both.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Explicitly include hospital/clinic security officers among the categories of workers protected from assault.
- Preserve the current structure where most assaults against these categories are gross misdemeanors, with a higher (felony) penalty if demonstrable bodily harm is inflicted.
- Establish consistent penalties for assaults against frontline health care and security personnel in hospital and clinic settings.
Practical Impact
- Security officers at hospitals and clinics receive formal criminal protection against assaults.
- Victims of serious assaults that cause demonstrable bodily harm face stricter penalties (felony) compared to non-damaging assaults.
Relevant to the bill’s scope are protections for: - firefighters and EMS personnel - physicians and nurses - other health care providers in hospital emergency departments - hospital/clinic security officers
Relevant terms and ideas from the bill: - gross misdemeanor - felony - demonstrable bodily harm - security officer - hospital - clinic - emergency department - health care services - physicians - nurses - emergency medical services (EMS) personnel
Relevant Terms - gross misdemeanor - felony - demonstrable bodily harm - security officer - hospital - clinic - emergency department - health care services - physicians - nurses - emergency medical services (EMS) personnel
Bill text versions
- Introduction PDF PDF file
Actions
| Date | Chamber | Where | Type | Name | Committee Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2026 | House | Action | Introduction and first reading, referred to | Public Safety Finance and Policy |
Citations
[
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Creates a gross misdemeanor offense for assaulting a listed category of personnel (firefighters, EMS personnel, physicians/nurses/other health care providers, and hospital/clinic security officers) in the performance of their duties.",
"Specifies that a larger felony with up to three years' imprisonment or a fine up to $6,000, or both, applies if the assault inflicts demonstrable bodily harm."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "This bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement section 609.2231, subdivision 2, to establish criminal offenses for physically assaulting certain hospital/clinic personnel, including firefighters and emergency medical personnel, health care staff, and security officers, with penalties tiered by harm.",
"modified": [
"Revises the penalties and scope of Subd. 2 of section 609.2231 to cover additional protected persons in hospital or clinic settings."
]
},
"citation": "609.2231",
"subdivision": "subdivision 2"
}
]