Utah bill would boost reporting on violence against hospital workers
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As hostility toward health care workers rises, Utah lawmakers are advancing a proposal that would require all hospitals in the state to create formal workplace violence reporting systems.
Why it matters: Violence against health care workers has soared since the COVID-19 pandemic, and supporters of the measure say more consistent reporting would clarify the scope of the problem and inform policy decisions in the state.
Driving the news: The measure unanimously passed the Senate Business and Labor Committee Tuesday.
- H.B. 380 would also delay the 2027 expiration of a 2022 law that increased penalties for assaulting or threatening health care workers, extending it through 2032.
Context: Most hospitals already track workplace violence against their employees, but the proposed legislation aims to mandate data collection and require those facilities to report that information to the state health department.
Between the lines: Two state lawmakers who work in the medical field are behind the bipartisan bill: South Ogden Republican Rep. Katy Hall, a registered nurse, and Salt Lake City Democrat Sen. Jen Plumb, a physician.
What they're saying: "This bill was brought to me by some nurses who are worried about the hospital workplace violence that we've seen kind of ramp up over the last few years," Hall told lawmakers while presenting the bill earlier this month.
Catch up quick: In Utah, hospital workers have faced increasing confrontations from patients in the last six years, ranging from bomb threats, verbal harassment and physical assault — a trend that's true nationally.
The big picture: In 2021, Missouri hospital staff were given panic buttons to wear after assaults on workers tripled in the wake of the pandemic, the AP reported.
- Colorado, Oregon, Washington and several other states have passed legislation increasing penalties for violence against hospital workers since the pandemic.
What we're watching: If the bill passes, the data could show whether Utah's newly enhanced penalties for assaulting health care workers are effective.