Assaulting a retail or restaurant worker who is enforcing mask requirements in Illinois has become a more serious offense.
Gov. J. B. Pritzker approved the bill on Friday, which declares the “battery of a merchant is aggravated battery,” according to the Illinois General Assembly website.
Aggravated battery is considered a felony in Illinois, according to FindLaw.com.
The law is intended to specifically protect workers at restaurants, grocery stores and other retailers who are “conveying public health guidance, such as requiring patrons to wear face-coverings or promoting social distancing,” a release about the new law said.
“As our state faces the challenges created by the ongoing global pandemic, we are doing all we can to support and protect our front line and essential workers,” State Representative Jay Hoffman said in a statement.
“This legislation allows front line workers that have been impacted by COVID-19 to focus on recovering while sending a clear message to all our essential workers that we are behind them and will do all we can to protect their safety and well-being,” Hoffman added.
According to USA Today, an aggravated battery charge can incur a maximum sentence of five years in prison and fines up to $2,500. The maximum sentence can increase to 10 years “depending on factors such as the individual’s criminal history,” the website said.
A regular battery charge is only a misdemeanor, ac... (Read more)
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