Posted: | June 1, 2015 02:47 PM |
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From: | Representative Julie Harhart |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Aggravated Assault of Municipal Code Enforcement Officials |
In the very near future, I plan to introduce legislation to protect municipal code enforcement officials and their families from assault. My proposal amends Section 2702 of Title 18 to extend the universe of public safety officials to include municipal code enforcement officials. Currently, there are 38 types of individuals included in the definition of “Public Safety Official,” in Section 2702. Among those currently included are constables, teachers, parking enforcement officers and public utility employees. While simply carrying out the law or local ordinance, municipal code officials are often placed in the position of telling people “no”, and many of these individuals can be very hostile. Because some of the most hostile have already had contact with police officials, the code officials’ are basically placed in the position of being “police without badges”. Further, in municipalities where there is no local police force, code officials can be charged with many of the responsibilities with respect to property issues that the local police force would ordinarily assume. Please consider sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as HB1463