Heavy Slap for Hitting Public Staff

As reported by the Daily News:

ALBANY — Assaulting a school crossing guard or a city Housing Authority worker is about to become a more serious crime in New York, the Daily News has learned.

Gov. Cuomo on Monday plans to sign a pair of bills making assaults on those public workers an automatic felony with possible jail sentences of a year or more.

Both bills were approved by the Senate and Assembly this spring.

“This critically important legislation will better protect hardworking employees who are charged with keeping children and families safe,” Cuomo said.

Typically, such assaults would be considered misdemeanors.

Assaults on school crossing guards are generally considered misdemeanors, but the new legislation would make them more serious crimes.

 “We want to make sure these individuals are protected,” said state Sen. Jose Peralta (D-Queens), who sponsored the crossing-guard bill.

Santos Crespo Jr., president of Local 372 of AFSCME, which represents school staff, applauded Cuomo’s decision to sign the legislation.

“By increasing the penalties, New York sends a clear message that its citizens will not tolerate these abuses,” he said.

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