BOSTON – Governor Healey signed the bill “An Act relative to assault and battery upon a transit worker” into law on Dec 3.
The legislature expands laws on assault and battery against public employees to include public transit workers, whether they are employed by public transit agencies or private contractors. It also broadens the definition of assault against a public worker to include the projection of bodily fluids. Punishment for offenders includes a sentence ranging from a minimum of 90 days to two and a half years in jail, a fine between $500 and $5,000, or both.
According to House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr., the MBTA reported over 600 assaults on its employees in 2024, 33 of which included a weapon, and 38 of which involved the use of a bodily fluid in the attack.
Members of the Massachusetts legislature voiced their support for the bill to strengthen protections for public transit workers.
Governor Healey said, “Public transportation employees do important work every day to keep our trains and buses moving on time and ensure the safety of all passengers. They should never be subject to any form of assault simply for doing their jobs. This bill ensures that they have the protections they deserve and will enhance safety for all users of our public transportation system.”
Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll said, “The people who operate and support our transit system should be able to show up to work each day without fear of violence. This law expands critical protections for our workers and helps ensure a safer, more secure environment for everyone who relies on public transportation.”
State Senator Brendan Crighton said, “Whether working on a bus, train, or ferry, public transit workers are essential to our transportation systems and they should not be subjected to violence or hostility. I’m proud to have joined with my colleagues in quickly passing these enhanced protections and increased penalties to make sure that every transportation worker feels safeguarded by these measures.”
State Representative Dan Cahill said, “No one should face violence for doing their job. Transit employees make our communities possible, and yet too many have been put at risk simply for showing up to work. With this bill, we are taking decisive action to hold offenders accountable and ensure safer conditions for both workers and passengers.”
State Representative Jenny Armini said, “Our transit workers deserve dignity and safety on the job, and assaulting them is an attack on the people who keep Massachusetts running—which is why this legislation makes clear that such violence will not be tolerated.”
State Representative Sean Reid said, “Our transit workers are on the front lines, showing up for us everyday. This is an important step in the right direction, as we must continue to address the alarming rise in attacks to ensure workers’ safety and well being.”
