A bill that would punish those who attack emergency medical technicians the same as those who attack police officers and firefighters was referred Wednesday to committee, concerning supporters who fear the legislative session will end before the bill has time to pass.
“It’s frustrating,” said Sen. David Balmer, R-Centennial, the bill’s co-sponsor, reflecting the sentiment of a room full of paramedics.
According to the Emergency Medical Services Association of Colorado, 90 percent of emergency service providers have reported being struck by a patient, and 98 percent reported having a patient threaten them with physical violence.
Assaulting a police officer or firefighter is a felony in Colorado, but the same violation against an EMT is a misdemeanor. The bill would raise the level of punishment for attacking EMTs to the same as other responders.
“It doesn’t make sense that all three of us could be on the same call and all of us could be assaulted and yet for us it’s handled differently,” said James Robinson, an assistant chief with Denver Health’s paramedic division.
With less than two weeks remaining in the legislative session, Balmer said he’s worried there won’t be time for the bill to go through the Senate Judiciary Committee, be debated on the Senate floor and then passed. But Sen. Jessie Ulibarri, D-Westminster, the chair of the State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee, which was hearing the bill, said he needed time to understand the effects of the bill’s passage.
“I’m concerned about how what may look like a small change would affect the bigger picture,” Ulibarri said.
The bill already passed the House of Representatives.
Anthony Cotton: 303-954-1292, acotton@denverpost.com
