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Patient/Healthcare Worker Sexual Contact Bill Vetoed by Markell

governor.delaware.gov

Governor Jack Markell has vetoed a measure that would have made it a felony rather than a misdemeanor for a health care worker to have intentional sexual contact with a patient.

The governor said that he found some of the language in the bill too vague and could be enforced in unpredictable ways.

In addition, he said that it did not take into account that the doctor-patient relationship may be different in one context and another.

He added it also made no distinction between consent and no consent.

Finally, Markell said he was satisfied that current state law addresses the issue.

State Representative Ruth Briggs who co-sponsored the bill told WBOC that she was taken aback at the veto.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.