Lawmakers in the Indiana Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee voted in favor of Senate Bill 419 to expand protections for Indiana health care workers.
Indiana law currently provides enhanced penalty for battery committed against certain health care professionals and staff of an emergency department in a hospital. Under SB 419, these laws would be applied to acts of violence and verbal intimidation.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that health care workers are five times more likely to experience a workplace violence injury than workers in other industries.
“We thank Sen. Cyndi Carrasco and members of the Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee for standing up for health care workers whose safety on the job is essential for quality patient care,” said Scott B. Tittle, president of the Indiana Hospital Association. “This vote underscores the critical importance of protecting employees from physical and verbal aggressiveness, allowing them to safely deliver care to Hoosier patients.”
Several health care organizations testified in support of SB 419, including IHA, IU Health, Eskenazi Health, the Indiana State Nurses Association and Indiana Organization for Nursing Leadership.
Larry Tracey, president of Memorial Hospital of South Bend, spoke on behalf of IHA in favor of the bill.
Memorial Hospital had 250 documented emergency calls for security assistance and its police department made 101 arrests in 2024. Staff experienced 28 instances of battery, 23 instances of disorderly conduct, 15 instances of intimidation, four sexual battery/assaults and two instances of strangulation.
“While we know Senate Bill 419 will not fix the problem in its entirety, it demonstrates to our health care workforce that we stand with them and will not tolerate any violence or intimidation committed against them,” Tracey said.
The bill now moves to the full Senate.
This reporting is made possible by a grant from the Indianapolis African-American Quality of Life Initiative, empowering our community with essential health insights. https://iaaqli.org/
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Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
Hanna Rauworth is the Health & Environmental Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, where she covers topics at the intersection of public health, environmental issues, and community impact. With a commitment to storytelling that informs and empowers, she strives to highlight the challenges and solutions shaping the well-being of Indianapolis residents.
