Woman attacked after asking another to wear a mask 1:08
(CNN) - Anyone who assaults an employee who enforces the use of face masks to prevent coronavirus infection can now be prosecuted as aggravated battery in Illinois.
Gov. JB Pritzker passed a law last week adding a penalty for assaulting a worker who "conveys public health guidance," that is, telling a company's customers to wear a mask or maintain physical distancing. In Illinois, aggravated battery is usually a felony.
The law went into effect immediately.
"This provision sends the message that it is vitally important that workers are respected and protected while serving on the front lines," the governor's office said in a statement on the new law.
- Researchers created a test to determine which masks are the least effective
Several states have seen disputes over the wearing of masks that have turned violent. In New Jersey, earlier this month, a woman assaulted another customer at a Staples store who had asked her to wear the mask over her nose and mouth. Also this month, police said a Pennsylvania man shot an employee at a cigar store who had asked him to wear a mask.
And in May, security footage showed that a man shopping at a Los Angeles Target broke the arm of a Target employee in an argument over masks.
Illinois has also recorded some incidents of worker assault, after Pritzker required anyone leaving the home to wear a mask in May.
The state also introduced some penalties against companies that do not comply with the mask mandate: Under new emergency rules from the Illinois Department of Public Health, companies that repeatedly refuse to comply with the mask requirements could incur a fine of between US $ 75 and US $ 2,500.
