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.


LRB103 00163 CPF 45168 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB1621LRB103 00163 CPF 45168 b

1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Health Care Violence Prevention Act is
5amended by changing Section 15 as follows:
 
6    (210 ILCS 160/15)
7    Sec. 15. Workplace safety.
8    (a) A health care worker who contacts law enforcement or
9files a report with law enforcement against a patient or
10individual because of workplace violence shall provide notice
11to management of the health care provider by which he or she is
12employed within 3 days after contacting law enforcement or
13filing the report.
14    (a-5) A health care provider shall report any incident of
15verbal aggression or physical assault of a health care worker
16employed by the health care provider in the health care
17provider's emergency department to the Department of Public
18Health. The Department of Public Health shall track
19information reported under this subsection to assess each
20health care provider's progress in systemically limiting the
21verbal aggression toward and physical assault of health care
22workers.
23    (b) No management of a health care provider may discourage

 

 

SB1621- 2 -LRB103 00163 CPF 45168 b

1a health care worker from exercising his or her right to
2contact law enforcement or file a report with law enforcement
3because of workplace violence.
4    (c) A health care provider that employs a health care
5worker shall display a notice, either by physical or
6electronic means, stating that verbal aggression will not be
7tolerated and physical assault will be reported to law
8enforcement. The notice shall also be displayed in each
9emergency department of the health care provider.
10    (d) The health care provider shall offer immediate
11post-incident services for a health care worker directly
12involved in a workplace violence incident caused by patients
13or their visitors, including acute treatment and access to
14psychological evaluation.
15(Source: P.A. 102-4, eff. 4-27-21.)
 
16    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
17becoming law.