SCHMITT PROPOSES BODY FLUID BILL

To afford police officers the same protection from assault as prison guards, the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, approved Rep. Lou Schmitt’s House Bill 103, which would make it a criminal offense for an officer to be assaulted with bodily fluids, such as spit. It would also provide a stricter penalty for people who have an infectious disease and are convicted of assaulting an officer with bodily fluids. Should the bill become law, the offense would be classified as a first-degree misdemeanor, which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine; and an enhanced third-degree felony, which includes up to seven years and up to a $15,000 fine, if the person knows or has reason to know he or she has an infectious disease.