BILL REQ. #:  S-3549.1 

Read first time 01/13/14.   Referred to Committee on Law & Justice.

     AN ACT Relating to random assaults; amending RCW 9A.36.031; creating a new section; and prescribing penalties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that a disturbing national trend has emerged that is commonly referred to in media reports as the "knockout game." Although the precise circumstances of the particular versions and motivations of the game may vary, generally speaking, the knockout game is played by a group of persons who walk behind or by a random person on the street and one of the group strikes the person in the head with force sufficient to cause the person to lose consciousness with one hit. These crimes may be difficult to prosecute under current law because of the random and anonymous nature of the attacks and the fact that they are instigated by groups which make identification of the actual assailant difficult. Dozens of these heinous attacks have been carried out nationwide in recent months, including in our own state.

Sec. 2   RCW 9A.36.031 and 2013 c 256 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A person is guilty of assault in the third degree if he or she, under circumstances not amounting to assault in the first or second degree:
     (a) With intent to prevent or resist the execution of any lawful process or mandate of any court officer or the lawful apprehension or detention of himself, herself, or another person, assaults another; or
     (b) Assaults a person employed as a transit operator or driver, the immediate supervisor of a transit operator or driver, a mechanic, or a security officer, by a public or private transit company or a contracted transit service provider, while that person is performing his or her official duties at the time of the assault; or
     (c) Assaults a school bus driver, the immediate supervisor of a driver, a mechanic, or a security officer, employed by a school district transportation service or a private company under contract for transportation services with a school district, while the person is performing his or her official duties at the time of the assault; or
     (d) With criminal negligence, causes bodily harm to another person by means of a weapon or other instrument or thing likely to produce bodily harm; or
     (e) Assaults a firefighter or other employee of a fire department, county fire marshal's office, county fire prevention bureau, or fire protection district who was performing his or her official duties at the time of the assault; or
     (f) With criminal negligence, causes bodily harm accompanied by substantial pain that extends for a period sufficient to cause considerable suffering; or
     (g) Assaults a law enforcement officer or other employee of a law enforcement agency who was performing his or her official duties at the time of the assault; or
     (h) Assaults a peace officer with a projectile stun gun; or
     (i) Assaults a nurse, physician, or health care provider who was performing his or her nursing or health care duties at the time of the assault. For purposes of this subsection: "Nurse" means a person licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW; "physician" means a person licensed under chapter 18.57 or 18.71 RCW; and "health care provider" means a person certified under chapter 18.71 or 18.73 RCW who performs emergency medical services or a person regulated under Title 18 RCW and employed by, or contracting with, a hospital licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW; or
     (j) Assaults a judicial officer, court-related employee, county clerk, or county clerk's employee, while that person is performing his or her official duties at the time of the assault or as a result of that person's employment within the judicial system. For purposes of this subsection, "court-related employee" includes bailiffs, court reporters, judicial assistants, court managers, court managers' employees, and any other employee, regardless of title, who is engaged in equivalent functions; or
     (k) Assaults a person located in a courtroom, jury room, judge's chamber, or any waiting area or corridor immediately adjacent to a courtroom, jury room, or judge's chamber. This section shall apply only: (i) During the times when a courtroom, jury room, or judge's chamber is being used for judicial purposes during court proceedings; and (ii) if signage was posted in compliance with RCW 2.28.200 at the time of the assault; or
     (l) Assaults a person randomly without any prior physical or verbal contact in a public place.
     (2) Assault in the third degree is a class C felony.