Assault: Definitions; penalties. [Effective through December 31, 2019.]

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1. As used in this section:

(a) "Assault" means:

(1) Unlawfully attempting to use physical force against another person; or

(2) Intentionally placing another person in reasonable apprehension of immediate bodily harm.

(b) "Fire-fighting agency" has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 239B.020.

(c) "Officer" means:

(1) A person who possesses some or all of the powers of a peace officer;

(2) A person employed in a full-time salaried occupation of fire fighting for the benefit or safety of the public;

(3) A member of a volunteer fire department;

(4) A jailer, guard or other correctional officer of a city or county jail;

(5) A prosecuting attorney of an agency or political subdivision of the United States or of this State;

(6) A justice of the Supreme Court, judge of the Court of Appeals, district judge, justice of the peace, municipal judge, magistrate, court commissioner, master or referee, including a person acting pro tempore in a capacity listed in this subparagraph;

(7) An employee of this State or a political subdivision of this State whose official duties require the employee to make home visits;

(8) A civilian employee or a volunteer of a law enforcement agency whose official duties require the employee or volunteer to:

(I) Interact with the public;

(II) Perform tasks related to law enforcement; and

(III) Wear identification, clothing or a uniform that identifies the employee or volunteer as working or volunteering for the law enforcement agency;

(9) A civilian employee or a volunteer of a fire-fighting agency whose official duties require the employee or volunteer to:

(I) Interact with the public;

(II) Perform tasks related to fire fighting or fire prevention; and

(III) Wear identification, clothing or a uniform that identifies the employee or volunteer as working or volunteering for the fire-fighting agency; or

(10) A civilian employee or volunteer of this State or a political subdivision of this State whose official duties require the employee or volunteer to:

(I) Interact with the public;

(II) Perform tasks related to code enforcement; and

(III) Wear identification, clothing or a uniform that identifies the employee or volunteer as working or volunteering for this State or a political subdivision of this State.

(d) "Provider of health care" means a physician, a medical student, a perfusionist or a physician assistant licensed pursuant to chapter 630 of NRS, a practitioner of respiratory care, a homeopathic physician, an advanced practitioner of homeopathy, a homeopathic assistant, an osteopathic physician, a physician assistant licensed pursuant to chapter 633 of NRS, a podiatric physician, a podiatry hygienist, a physical therapist, a medical laboratory technician, an optometrist, a chiropractor, a chiropractor’s assistant, a doctor of Oriental medicine, a nurse, a student nurse, a certified nursing assistant, a nursing assistant trainee, a medication aide - certified, a dentist, a dental student, a dental hygienist, a dental hygienist student, a pharmacist, a pharmacy student, an intern pharmacist, an attendant on an ambulance or air ambulance, a psychologist, a social worker, a marriage and family therapist, a marriage and family therapist intern, a clinical professional counselor, a clinical professional counselor intern, a licensed dietitian, an emergency medical technician, an advanced emergency medical technician and a paramedic.

(e) "School employee" means a licensed or unlicensed person employed by a board of trustees of a school district pursuant to NRS 391.100 or 391.281.

(f) "Sporting event" has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 41.630.

(g) "Sports official" has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 41.630.

(h) "Taxicab" has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 706.8816.

(i) "Taxicab driver" means a person who operates a taxicab.

(j) "Transit operator" means a person who operates a bus or other vehicle as part of a public mass transportation system.

2. A person convicted of an assault shall be punished:

(a) If paragraph (c) or (d) does not apply to the circumstances of the crime and the assault is not made with the use of a deadly weapon or the present ability to use a deadly weapon, for a misdemeanor.

(b) If the assault is made with the use of a deadly weapon or the present ability to use a deadly weapon, for a category B felony by imprisonment in the state prison for a minimum term of not less than 1 year and a maximum term of not more than 6 years, or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or by both fine and imprisonment.

(c) If paragraph (d) does not apply to the circumstances of the crime and if the assault is committed upon an officer, a provider of health care, a school employee, a taxicab driver or a transit operator who is performing his or her duty or upon a sports official based on the performance of his or her duties at a sporting event and the person charged knew or should have known that the victim was an officer, a provider of health care, a school employee, a taxicab driver, a transit operator or a sports official, for a gross misdemeanor, unless the assault is made with the use of a deadly weapon or the present ability to use a deadly weapon, then for a category B felony by imprisonment in the state prison for a minimum term of not less than 1 year and a maximum term of not more than 6 years, or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or by both fine and imprisonment.

(d) If the assault is committed upon an officer, a provider of health care, a school employee, a taxicab driver or a transit operator who is performing his or her duty or upon a sports official based on the performance of his or her duties at a sporting event by a probationer, a prisoner who is in lawful custody or confinement or a parolee, and the probationer, prisoner or parolee charged knew or should have known that the victim was an officer, a provider of health care, a school employee, a taxicab driver, a transit operator or a sports official, for a category D felony as provided in NRS 193.130, unless the assault is made with the use of a deadly weapon or the present ability to use a deadly weapon, then for a category B felony by imprisonment in the state prison for a minimum term of not less than 1 year and a maximum term of not more than 6 years, or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or by both fine and imprisonment.

(Added to NRS by 1971, 1384; A 1981, 903; 1985, 248; 1989, 1010; 1991, 124, 774; 1995, 21, 1190, 1321; 1997, 434; 1999, 140; 2001, 380, 986, 987; 2003, 354; 2005, 176; 2007, 1848, 3078; 2009, 74, 2991; 2011, 1336, 1513; 2013, 292, 952, 1763; 2017, 226; 2019, 1810)


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