Effective March 5, 2024, the Michigan legislature’s Public Act 271 was signed by Governor Whitmer. For years, MCEP has helped to advocate for the protection of emergency physicians’ safety and the staff they work with based on evidence of increasing risks to healthcare providers over the past few years, as compiled by ACEP and the ANA. Briefly, the Public Act now imposes a greater fine and re-emphasizes jail time for friends and family of emergency patients who assault health professionals or medical volunteers in emergency department settings. Additionally, hospitals and psychiatric facilities shall now post a sign that corresponds with this bipartisan law. We thank Representatives Mike Mueller of Linden, Michigan and Kelly Breen from Oakland County for helping bring this bill to the state legislature.
Moving forward, Representative Natalie Price is planning to introduce a bill that would expand the scope of the original bill to include violent behavior by patients supported by the MCEP Legislative Committee.
We welcome input from our MCEP members online and in-person!
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