House approves police protection bill

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – A bill that would punish people who intentionally expose police officers to diseases such as HIV was approved by the Kentucky House of Representatives Wednesday.

House Bill 193, sponsored by Stan Lee, R-Lexington, would allow for anyone who intentionally exposes a police officer to bodily fluids, including vomiting and spitting, to be charged with a Class B misdemeanor. The crime would be enhanced to a Class A misdemeanor if the fluid contained a communicable disease that would have significant, long-term consequences on the physical health or life activities of the infected person.

“One of the worst possible situations,” testified Jason Rothermund, a Lexington police officer, earlier this year. “Is to be exposed to bodily fluids of somebody else that could potentially lead to some type of communicable disease transmission. It’s a sad thing to say that I’ve witnessed this multiple times.”

Lee said this bill would protect police in the future, and also prevent such incidents from happening in the first place.

“Hopefully by enacting a law like this, we can at least get some measure of deterrence out there that lets people know that they shouldn’t engage in that type of conduct,” said Lee.

The bill will now go to the Senate for consideration.

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Media release from the Legislative Research Commission.