An Act To Make Exposing a Law Enforcement Officer to a Disorienting Substance a Crime
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 17-A MRSA §752-F is enacted to read:
§ 752-F. Assault on a law enforcement officer through unlawful exposure
1. A person is guilty of assault on a law enforcement officer through unlawful exposure if that person:
A. Intentionally, knowingly or recklessly exposes a law enforcement officer to any substance in a manner that could temporarily disable, disorient, impair the sight of or impair the breathing of the law enforcement officer. Violation of this paragraph is a Class D crime; or
B. Intentionally, knowingly or recklessly exposes a law enforcement officer to any substance in a manner that could temporarily disable, disorient, impair the sight of or impair the breathing of the law enforcement officer and that exposure could cause serious bodily injury or death to the law enforcement officer. Violation of this paragraph is a Class C crime.
SUMMARY
This bill creates the crime of assault on a law enforcement officer through unlawful exposure. A person commits a Class D crime if the person intentionally, knowingly or recklessly exposes a law enforcement officer to any substance in a manner that could temporarily disable, disorient, impair the sight of or impair the breathing of the law enforcement officer; a person commits a Class C crime if the exposure could cause serious bodily injury or death to the law enforcement officer.