04/09/2026
Yesterday, during the public hearing with the New Hampshire House of Representatives, our Safety & Security Manager and Workplace Violence Prevention Coordinator, Nicole Cremo, spoke in favor of New Hampshire Senate Bill 667, which would make knowingly assaulting emergency department personnel a felony. Nicole serves on the NH Health Care Workplace Safety Commission and is shown here alongside Kenneth Merrifield, Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Labor.
SB667 introduces felony-level offenses specifically targeting the assault of emergency room personnel. It amends existing laws to include new provisions and establishes that knowingly causing bodily injury to emergency room personnel is classified as a second-degree assault offense. The definition of "emergency room personnel" is expanded in this bill to encompass a wide range of individuals working in hospital emergency departments, including healthcare professionals, clerks, technicians, students, and volunteers.
Violence towards healthcare workers continues to be a growing issue, even in rural communities such as ours. This legislative activity is especially timely given that this is Workplace Violence Prevention Awareness Month. Great work, Nicole!