Governor Gretchen Whitmer hopes tougher laws will help stem the growth of threats and violence against health care workers. She signed the bills Wednesday at a hospital in Lansing.
The governor was flanked by health care workers, union leaders and hospital administrators who described incidents and conditions that put workers at risk and stood in the way of providing care to patients.
The governor said hospitals and clinics need to be safe spaces.
“You cannot go into these types of places and make threats and assault people. It’s unacceptable,” she said.
“We’re seeing this increase across many parts of industry and that’s why it’s important that health care places are safe places and that’s why we’re taking this action today,” she said. “Glad we got it done.”
The tougher penalties – directed only toward people who are not patients -- would also apply to attacks on medical volunteers. Facilities including medical hospitals and psychiatric hospitals will have to post the new penalties in prominent locations. The new laws will take effect in 90 days.
Whitmer said on-the-job threats against healthcare workers have been a growing problem since the early stages of the COVID pandemic.
Whitmer said she hopes tougher laws will create confidence in workplace safety and inspire more people to consider careers in health care. A survey earlier this year by the Michigan Health and Hospital Association reported 27,000 health care job openings across the state.
