Evers signs bill outlawing threats to health care workers

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Tony Evers has signed a bill that makes threatening a health care worker a felony.

The bill makes it a felony punishable by up six years in prison to threaten health care workers in their official capacity or their families in reaction to something that happened at health care facility.

Legislators drafted the measure in responses to stories from health care providers about patients threatening doctors and others who were trying to care for them.

Current state law makes it a felony to commit battery against a nurse, an emergency medical care provider or a person working in an emergency department.