SB1621 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 00163 CPF 45168 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB1621

Introduced 2/8/2023, by Sen. Jil Tracy

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

210 ILCS 160/15

Amends the Health Care Violence Prevention Act. Tasks health care providers with reporting any incident of verbal aggression or physical assault of a health care worker employed by the health care provider in the health care provider's emergency department to the Department of Public Health. Requires the Department to track the information reported to assess each health care provider's progress in systemically limiting the verbal aggression toward and physical assault of health care workers. Requires health care providers to post notice regarding verbal aggression and physical assault of health care workers in each emergency department of the health care provider. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Health Care Violence Prevention Act is amended by changing Section 15 as follows:

(210 ILCS 160/15)

Sec. 15. Workplace safety.

(a) A health care worker who contacts law enforcement or files a report with law enforcement against a patient or individual because of workplace violence shall provide notice to management of the health care provider by which he or she is employed within 3 days after contacting law enforcement or filing the report.

(a-5) A health care provider shall report any incident of verbal aggression or physical assault of a health care worker employed by the health care provider in the health care provider's emergency department to the Department of Public Health. The Department of Public Health shall track information reported under this subsection to assess each health care provider's progress in systemically limiting the verbal aggression toward and physical assault of health care workers.

(b) No management of a health care provider may discourage a health care worker from exercising his or her right to contact law enforcement or file a report with law enforcement because of workplace violence.

(c) A health care provider that employs a health care worker shall display a notice, either by physical or electronic means, stating that verbal aggression will not be tolerated and physical assault will be reported to law enforcement. The notice shall also be displayed in each emergency department of the health care provider.

(d) The health care provider shall offer immediate post-incident services for a health care worker directly involved in a workplace violence incident caused by patients or their visitors, including acute treatment and access to psychological evaluation.

(Source: P.A. 102-4, eff. 4-27-21.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.