Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed a bill Wednesday that makes threatening a healthcare worker a felony.
The bill makes it a felony punishable by up to six years in prison to threaten healthcare workers in their official capacity or their families in reaction to something that happened at a healthcare facility. Legislators drafted the measure in responses to stories from healthcare providers about patients threatening doctors and others who were trying to care for them.
Current state law makes it a felony to commit battery against a nurse, an emergency medical care provider or a person working in an emergency department.
Evers said in a statement announcing the signing that the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored healthcare workers' importance and they deserve to be safe.
