12100931D Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1. That §18.2-57 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows: §18.2-57. Assault and battery. A. Any person who commits a simple assault or assault and
battery B. However, if a person intentionally selects the person
against whom an assault and battery resulting in bodily injury is committed
because of his race, religious conviction, color or national origin, the person
C. In addition, if any person commits an assault or an assault and battery against another knowing or having reason to know that such other person is a judge, a law-enforcement officer as defined hereinafter, a correctional officer as defined in §53.1-1, a person employed by the Department of Corrections directly involved in the care, treatment or supervision of inmates in the custody of the Department, a firefighter as defined in §65.2-102, or a volunteer firefighter or lifesaving or rescue squad member who is a member of a bona fide volunteer fire department or volunteer rescue or emergency medical squad regardless of whether a resolution has been adopted by the governing body of a political subdivision recognizing such firefighters or members as employees, engaged in the performance of his public duties, such person is guilty of a Class 6 felony, and, upon conviction, the sentence of such person shall include a mandatory minimum term of confinement of six months. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to affect the right of any person charged with a violation of this section from asserting and presenting evidence in support of any defenses to the charge that may be available under common law. D. In addition, if any person commits a battery against
another knowing or having reason to know that such other person is a full-time
or part-time teacher, principal, assistant principal, or guidance counselor of
any public or private elementary or secondary school and is engaged in the
performance of his duties as such, he E. In addition, any person who commits a battery against another knowing or having reason to know that such individual is a health care provider as defined in §8.01-581.1 who is engaged in the performance of his duties as an emergency health care provider in an emergency room of a hospital or clinic or on the premises of any other facility rendering emergency medical care is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The sentence of such person, upon conviction, shall include a term of confinement of 15 days in jail, two days of which shall be a mandatory minimum term of confinement. F. Any adult who commits an assault or assault and battery against another while on the premises of any public or private elementary or secondary school is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishment for which shall include a mandatory minimum term of confinement of 30 days. G. As used in this section: "Judge" means any justice or judge of a court of record of the Commonwealth including a judge designated under §17.1-105, a judge under temporary recall under §17.1-106, or a judge pro tempore under § 17.1-109, any member of the State Corporation Commission, or of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission, and any judge of a district court of the Commonwealth or any substitute judge of such district court. "Law-enforcement officer" means any full-time or part-time employee of a police department or sheriff's office that is part of or administered by the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof who is responsible for the prevention or detection of crime and the enforcement of the penal, traffic or highway laws of the Commonwealth, any conservation officer of the Department of Conservation and Recreation commissioned pursuant to § 10.1-115, any special agent of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, conservation police officers appointed pursuant to §29.1-200, and full-time sworn members of the enforcement division of the Department of Motor Vehicles appointed pursuant to §46.2-217, and such officer also includes jail officers in local and regional correctional facilities, all deputy sheriffs, whether assigned to law-enforcement duties, court services or local jail responsibilities, auxiliary police officers appointed or provided for pursuant to §§15.2-1731 and 15.2-1733, auxiliary deputy sheriffs appointed pursuant to §15.2-1603, police officers of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority pursuant to §5.1-158, and fire marshals appointed pursuant to §27-30 when such fire marshals have police powers as set out in §§27-34.2 and 27-34.2:1. "School security officer" means an individual who is employed by the local school board for the purpose of maintaining order and discipline, preventing crime, investigating violations of school board policies and detaining persons violating the law or school board policies on school property, a school bus or at a school-sponsored activity and who is responsible solely for ensuring the safety, security and welfare of all students, faculty and staff in the assigned school.
In determining whether a person was acting within the exceptions provided in this subsection, due deference shall be given to reasonable judgments that were made by a teacher, teacher aide, principal, assistant principal, guidance counselor, school security officer, school bus driver, or school bus aide at the time of the event. |