1. (1) Whenever a person is charged with committing an assault or aggravated assault or a battery or aggravated battery upon a staff member of a sexually violent predators detention or commitment facility as defined in part V ¹of chapter 394, while the staff member is engaged in the lawful performance of his or her duties and when the person committing the offense knows or has reason to know the identity or employment of the victim, the offense for which the person is charged shall be reclassified as follows:

   1. (a) In the case of aggravated battery, from a felony of the second degree to a felony of the first degree.
   2. (b) In the case of an aggravated assault, from a felony of the third degree to a felony of the second degree.
   3. (c) In the case of battery, from a misdemeanor of the first degree to a felony of the third degree.
   4. (d) In the case of assault, from a misdemeanor of the second degree to a misdemeanor of the first degree.

2. (2) For purposes of this section, a staff member of the facilities listed includes persons employed by the Department of Children and Family Services, persons employed at facilities licensed by the Department of Children and Family Services, and persons employed at facilities operated under a contract with the Department of Children and Family Services.

   ¹Note.--The word "of" was substituted for the word "or" by the editors. Chapter 784 is not divided into parts, and part V of chapter 394 relates to involuntary civil commitment of sexually violent predators.

History.--s. 1, ch. 2001-244.