It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 11-5-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-5 entitled "Assaults" is hereby amended to read as follows:

11-5-8. Assault on correctional officers -- Juvenile counsellor -- Youth home life supervisor or Youth correctional officer. -- {ADD 11-5-8. Assault on correctional officer or training school employee. -- ADD} Any person who shall knowingly and wilfully strike a uniformed member of the correctional officer staff at the adult correctional institutions causing bodily injury, or wilfully strikes a member who is out of uniform, knowing the person to be such a member, while the member is engaged in the performance of his or her duty, or who knowingly and wilfully strikes a juvenile counselor, a youth home life supervisor, a staff teacher, or a youth correctional officer staff member {ADD training school employee ADD} , at the training school for youth, causing bodily injury to the member {ADD employee ADD} while the member {ADD employee ADD} is engaged in the performance of his or her duty, shall be imprisoned not exceeding five (5) years or fined not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.