Sec. 1. 17-A MRSA §752-A, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1983, c. 408, §1, is further amended to read:

1. A person is guilty of assault on an officer if:

A. He intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to a law enforcement officer The person commits an assault on a law enforcement officer while the officer is in the performance of his the officer's official duties; or

B. While in custody in a penal institution or other facility pursuant to an arrest or pursuant to a court order, he the person commits an assault on a member of the staff of the institution or facility. As used in this paragraph "assault" means the crime defined in section 207, subsection 1.

As used in this subsection, "assault" means the crime defined in section 207, subsection 1.

SUMMARY

This bill makes any assault on a law enforcement officer a Class C crime. The current law requires a law enforcement officer to suffer bodily injury for the crime of assault on an officer to have been committed. The bill expands this crime to allow offensive physical contact to meet the standard for a Class C crime.