New California Law Protects Emergency Department Workers

Effective Jan. 1, 2025, a newly signed law expands protections for healthcare workers, addressing the growing concern of workplace violence. 

After years of advocacy and work by healthcare representatives, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 977 into law. AB 977 imposes felony penalties, rather than the current misdemeanor penalties, for acts of violence toward healthcare workers in Emergency Departments. 

“This is a significant achievement and we are grateful that our government is responding to this critical issue,” said LVMC Chief Executive Officer Yvette Cope. 

This month, LVMC leadership will be putting steps in place to implement AB 977. 

“These actions will help to ensure compliance with the new law and further protect our team,” Cope said. 

Healthcare representatives from across the state lobbied California lawmakers to pass the bill, sharing difficulties they experience in providing high quality care while also being increasingly subject to violent threats and attacks, according to the California Hospital Association. 

“Unfortunately, our staff have experienced violence in the workplace and we take all of these incidents seriously,” Cope said. “On behalf of our staff, I know they appreciate the work done to mitigate this issue.” 

Under existing laws, violence against healthcare workers inside an Emergency Department is penalized differently depending on the category of healthcare worker and location of the attack or incident. 

“Those who provide care to patients deserve a safe workplace, regardless of whether they provide that care in a hospital ED or in the broader community,” the CHA stated. 

The new law will make an assault or battery committed against an Emergency Department physician, nurse or other healthcare worker punishable by imprisonment in county jail for up to one year; a fine up to $2,000, or both. 

According to the Hospital Quality Institute, a 2021 study found that 44 percent of nurses reported being subject to physical violence, while 68 percent reported verbal abuse. In California in 2022, two serious assaults occurred at hospitals in the state, including the stabbing of a physician and two nurses at one site and the stabbing of a nurse in another. 

Cope said the LVMC will be updating Emergency Department signage in the coming weeks to clearly inform visitors that assaulting healthcare workers in the Emergency Department is a felony offense.  

New messaging  will include language similar to: 

 “Assaulting or battering healthcare workers is a crime. California law (AB 977) imposes felony penalties for violence against emergency department staff, including nurses, doctors, and all other healthcare workers providing services in the Emergency Department. We are committed to providing a safe environment for both patients and staff. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our healthcare team safe." 

LVMC Senior Director of Operations and Safety Officer Lindsey Arevalos will be coordinating with local law enforcement to educate about AB 977’s enforcement criteria and to ensure “swift and appropriate response to any incidents.” 

Arevalos will also coordinate training sessions for staff, to update employees about their new rights under the upcoming law, as well as about safety protocols and incident reporting procedures. Key points will include: 

• A clear definition of assault, specifically intentional harm or acts by a visitor or patient (distinguished from actions that may occur due to a patient’s medical condition, such as confusion or involuntary movements). 

• Revised reporting protocols, outlining how incidents will be escalated and addressed.