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Legal Information: Nevada

Statutes: Nevada

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Updated: 
January 9, 2024

200.471. Assault: Definitions; penalties

1. As used in this section:
 

(a) “Assault” means:
 

(1) Unlawfully attempting to use physical force against another person; or
 

(2) Intentionally placing another person in reasonable apprehension of immediate bodily harm.
 

(b) “Fire-fighting agency” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 239B.020.
 

(c) “Health care facility” means a facility licensed pursuant to chapter 449 of NRS, an office of a person listed in NRS 629.031, a clinic or any other location, other than a residence, where health care is provided.
 

(d) “Officer” means:
 

(1) A person who possesses some or all of the powers of a peace officer;
 

(2) A person employed in a full-time salaried occupation of fire fighting for the benefit or safety of the public;
 

(3) A member of a volunteer fire department;
 

(4) A jailer, guard or other correctional officer of a city or county jail;
 

(5) A prosecuting attorney of an agency or political subdivision of the United States or of this State;
 

(6) A justice of the Supreme Court, judge of the Court of Appeals, district judge, justice of the peace, municipal judge, magistrate, court commissioner, master or referee, including a person acting pro tempore in a capacity listed in this subparagraph;
 

(7) An employee of this State or a political subdivision of this State whose official duties require the employee to make home visits;
 

(8) A civilian employee or a volunteer of a law enforcement agency whose official duties require the employee or volunteer to:
 

(I) Interact with the public;
 

(II) Perform tasks related to law enforcement; and
 

(III) Wear identification, clothing or a uniform that identifies the employee or volunteer as working or volunteering for the law enforcement agency;
 

(9) A civilian employee or a volunteer of a fire-fighting agency whose official duties require the employee or volunteer to:
 

(I) Interact with the public;
 

(II) Perform tasks related to fire fighting or fire prevention; and
 

(III) Wear identification, clothing or a uniform that identifies the employee or volunteer as working or volunteering for the fire-fighting agency; or
 

(10) A civilian employee or volunteer of this State or a political subdivision of this State whose official duties require the employee or volunteer to:
 

(I) Interact with the public;
 

(II) Perform tasks related to code enforcement; and
 

(III) Wear identification, clothing or a uniform that identifies the employee or volunteer as working or volunteering for this State or a political subdivision of this State.
 

(e) “Provider of health care” means:
 

(1) A physician, a medical student, a perfusionist, an anesthesiologist assistant or a physician assistant licensed pursuant to chapter 630 of NRS, a practitioner of respiratory care, a homeopathic physician, an advanced practitioner of homeopathy, a homeopathic assistant, an osteopathic physician, a physician assistant or anesthesiologist assistant licensed pursuant to chapter 633 of NRS, a podiatric physician, a podiatry hygienist, a physical therapist, a medical laboratory technician, an optometrist, a chiropractic physician, a chiropractic assistant,a naprapath, a doctor of Oriental medicine, a nurse, a student nurse, a certified nursing assistant, a nursing assistant trainee, a medication aide-certified, a person who provides health care services in the home for compensation, a dentist, a dental student, a dental hygienist, a dental hygienist student, an expanded function dental assistant, an expanded function dental assistant student, a pharmacist, a pharmacy student, an intern pharmacist, an attendant on an ambulance or air ambulance, a psychologist, a social worker, a marriage and family therapist, a marriage and family therapist intern, a clinical professional counselor, a clinical professional counselor intern, a behavior analyst, an assistant behavior analyst, a registered behavior technician, a mental health technician, a licensed dietitian, the holder of a license or a limited license issued under the provisions of chapter 653 of NRS, a public safety officer at a health care facility, an emergency medical technician, an advanced emergency medical technician, a paramedic or a participant in a program of training to provide emergency medical services; or
 

(2) An employee of or volunteer for a health care facility who:
 

(I) Interacts with the public;
 

(II) Performs tasks related to providing health care; and
 

(III) Wears identification, clothing or a uniform that identifies the person as an employee or volunteer of the health care facility.
 

(f) “School employee” means a licensed or unlicensed person employed by a board of trustees of a school district pursuant to NRS 391.100 or 391.281.
 

(g) “Sporting event” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 41.630.
 

(h) “Sports official” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 41.630.
 

(i) “Taxicab” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 706.8816.
 

(j) “Taxicab driver” means a person who operates a taxicab.
 

(k) “Transit operator” means a person who operates a bus or other vehicle as part of a public mass transportation system.
 

(l) “Utility worker” an employee of a public utility as defined in NRS 704.020 whose official duties require the employee to:
 

(1) Interact with the public;
 

(2) Perform tasks related to the operation of the public utility; and
 

(3) Wear identification, clothing or a uniform that identifies the employee as working for the public utility.
 

2. A person convicted of an assault shall be punished:
 

(a) If paragraph (c) or (d) does not apply to the circumstances of the crime and the assault is not made with the use of a deadly weapon or the present ability to use a deadly weapon, for a misdemeanor.
 

(b) If the assault is made with the use of a deadly weapon or the present ability to use a deadly weapon, for a category B felony by imprisonment in the state prison for a minimum term of not less than 1 year and a maximum term of not more than 6 years, or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or by both fine and imprisonment.
 

(c) If paragraph (d) does not apply to the circumstances of the crime and if the assault:
 

(1) Is committed upon:
 

(I) An officer, a school employee, a taxicab driver, a transit operator or a utility worker who is performing his or her duty;
 

(II) A provider of health care while the provider of health care is performing his or her duty or is on the premises where he or she performs that duty; or
 

(III) A sports official based on the performance of his or her duties at a sporting event; and
 

(2) The person charged knew or should have known that the victim was an officer, a provider of health care, a school employee, a taxicab driver, a transit operator, a utility worker or a sports official,
 

for a gross misdemeanor, unless the assault is made with the use of a deadly weapon or the present ability to use a deadly weapon, then for a category B felony by imprisonment in the state prison for a minimum term of not less than 1 year and a maximum term of not more than 6 years, or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or by both fine and imprisonment.
 

(d) If the assault:
 

(1) Is committed by a probationer, a prisoner who is in lawful custody or confinement or a parolee upon:
 

(I) An officer, a school employee, a taxicab driver, a transit operator or a utility worker who is performing his or her duty;
 

(II) A provider of health care while the provider of health care is performing his or her duty or is on the premises where he or she performs that duty; or
 

(III) A sports official based on the performance of his or her duties at a sporting event; and
 

(2) The probationer, prisoner or parolee charged knew or should have known that the victim was an officer, a provider of health care, a school employee, a taxicab driver, a transit operator, a utility worker or a sports official,
 

for a category D felony as provided in NRS 193.130, unless the assault is made with the use of a deadly weapon or the present ability to use a deadly weapon, then for a category B felony by imprisonment in the state prison for a minimum term of not less than 1 year and a maximum term of not more than 6 years, or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or by both fine and imprisonment.