H 4942 General Bill, By Talley, Sinclair, Allison, Davenport, Lee, Littlejohn, 
W.D. Smith, Walker and Rodgers
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 16-3-635, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO ASSAULT AND BATTERY UPON AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PROVIDER,
 FIREFIGHTER, OR HOME HEALTH CARE WORKER, SO AS TO PROVIDE A DEFINITION FOR THE
 TERM "EDUCATOR" AND TO PROVIDE THAT THIS PROVISION APPLIES TO AN ASSAULT AND
 BATTERY UPON AN EDUCATOR.

   03/20/02  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-22
   03/20/02  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-23
   04/03/02  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Rodgers

TO AMEND SECTION 16-3-635, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO ASSAULT AND BATTERY UPON AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PROVIDER, FIREFIGHTER, OR HOME HEALTH CARE WORKER, SO AS TO PROVIDE A DEFINITION FOR THE TERM "EDUCATOR" AND TO PROVIDE THAT THIS PROVISION APPLIES TO AN ASSAULT AND BATTERY UPON AN EDUCATOR.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Section 16-3-635 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 55 of 1997, is amended to read:

    "Section 16-3-635.    (A) As used in this section:

        (1)    'Emergency medical service provider' means an individual or employee of a health care provider who provides medical or health care services in the course of his employment or training which includes, but is not limited to, emergency physicians, nurses, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, members of rescue squads, and anyone directed by these individuals.

        (2)    'Firefighter' means an employee of a town, city, county, or state fire service including, but not limited to, firefighters, volunteer firefighters, fire investigators, fire inspectors, and any one directed by these individuals.

        (3)    'Home health care worker' means a licensed nurse who provides health care in a home under the direction of a physician, county or state public health agency, or medical facility.

        (4)    'Educator' means a school administrator, school principal, or school teacher.

    (B)    A person is guilty of the misdemeanor of assault and battery upon an emergency medical service provider, firefighter, or home health care worker, or an educator and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not less than two months nor more than three years, or both, if he knowingly or wilfully resists or obstructs a person listed in subsection (A), or commits an assault on a person listed in subsection (A), in the lawful discharge of that person's official duties and the resistance, obstruction, or assault is unaccompanied by any of the circumstances of aggravation listed in subsection (C).

A person sentenced under this section for a second or subsequent offense shall not have his sentence suspended to less than six months' imprisonment nor shall the person be eligible for parole until after service of six months.

    (C)    A person is guilty of the felony of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature upon an emergency medical service provider, firefighter, or home health care worker, or educator and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than one thousand dollars nor more than ten thousand dollars or imprisoned not less than one year nor more than ten years, or both, if he knowingly or wilfully resists or obstructs a person listed in subsection (A), or commits an assault on a person listed in subsection (A), in the lawful discharge of that person's official duties and the resistance, obstruction, or assault is accompanied by at least one of the following circumstances of aggravation:

        (1)    physical injury to a person listed in subsection (A);

        (2)    the use of a deadly weapon;

        (3)    great disparity in the physical conditions of the parties;

        (4)    great disparity in the ages of the parties;

        (5)    great disparity in the sizes of the parties; or

        (6)    indecent liberties with a female.

    As used in this section 'deadly weapon' means any instrument which can be used to inflict death or serious physical injury."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.