Legislation responds to reports that nearly 7 in 10 nurses have experienced workplace assault, requiring annual security reviews and new protections for victims
(BOSTON—7/16/2026) The Massachusetts Senate acted today to support the safety of frontline health care workers by improving vital security protocols at hospitals and doctors’ offices across the state. Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) supported the legislation, which passed through the Senate with the inclusion of several amendments put forward by Senator Friedman.
Responding to a troubling spate of violent incidents, the Senate’s legislation would require annual reviews of security protocols and potential risks at health care facilities.
The legislation passed by the Senate, S.3171, also helps law enforcement make timely arrests for assaults at health care facilities, extends new supports to health care employees who are assaulted on the job, and shields victims’ personal information from assailants.
“It is vitally important that we affirm in our laws that no one, and especially our health care workers, should be subject to harassment, assault, and violence in the workplace,” said Senator Friedman (D-Arlington). “This legislation takes meaningful steps to make health care safer for workers and, at the same time, acknowledges the complicated reality that sometimes violence occurs from those who are not acting out of malice or disrespect, but just may not be in complete control of their actions. The final Senate bill strikes an important balance between protecting workers and ensuring we are not unduly punishing those who are unable to control their actions due to a disability or diagnosis. I thank my colleagues for working so diligently on this legislation, and for their support in the adoption of an amendment I filed to ensure that law enforcement officers responding to reports of workplace violence do so with thoughtfulness for the facility they enter and the individuals they encounter.”
Nearly seven out of 10 nurses report having experienced an assault in the workplace, according to data shared by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, 1199SEIU, and the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association.
The Senate bill backs up law enforcement officers who respond to those incidents by allowing timely, warrantless arrests for line-of-duty assault and battery on a health care employee. This reasonable use of a warrantless arrest, in situations where the officer has probable cause to believe the suspect committed the assault, is similar to existing exceptions to allow timely arrests in domestic violence cases. Through Amendment 8 filed by Senator Friedman, the Senate bill would require police officers responding to reports of workplace violence to use de-escalation tactics and diversion strategies, as well as community-based behavioral health crisis response resources, if available.
Supporting health care employees who are assaulted on the job, the bill requires employers to offer paid leave that covers an employee’s time seeking medical treatment and aiding in the prosecution of their attacker. It would also shield the victim’s personal, residential address on criminal complaints.
Full details of the bill are available in a fact sheet in the Senate’s press room.
The Senate Committee on Ways and Means redrafted the legislation and advanced it to the full Senate with a 13-0 vote on July 9, 2026. Previous versions of the bill were reviewed by the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security and passed by the House of Representatives.
The Senate passed the bill and sent it to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
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