02/26/2026
HB 1040, Battery Against School and Healthcare Employees, was called down on second reading on Thursday. This bill increases the penalty to felony level offenses for causing harm to a healthcare employee (defined as one who is employed by an entity that is licensed, certified or authorized to administer health care in the ordinary course of business or practice of the profession) or to a school employee. This bill also requires employers of healthcare or school employees to make a report to the Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Labor twice a year regarding workplace battery incidents. Two second reading amendments were filed on the bill and only one, authored by Senator Freeman, was adopted. It was a technical change to move the reporting language to a different chapter of the Indiana Code.
Indiana Nurses Popped In and Watched the Second Reading Success Live!