(a) When an assault is committed against a highway worker engaged in the performance of his or her duties and the person committing the offense knows or reasonably should know that the victim is a highway worker engaged in the performance of his or her duties, the offense shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000) or by imprisonment in a county jail up to one year or by both that fine and imprisonment.

(b) As used in this section, “highway worker” means an employee of the Department of Transportation, a contractor or employee of a contractor while working under contract with the Department of Transportation, an employee of a city, county, or city and county, a contractor or employee of a contractor while working under contract with a city, county, or city and county, or a volunteer as defined in § 1720.4 of the Labor Code who does one or more of the following:

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(1) Performs maintenance, repair, or construction of state highway or local street or road infrastructures and associated rights-of-way in highway or local street or road work zones.

(2) Operates equipment on state highway or local street or road infrastructures and associated rights-of-way in highway or local street or road work zones.

(3) Performs any related maintenance work, as required, on state highway or local street or road infrastructures in highway or local street or road work zones.

(Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 116, Sec. 1. (AB 561) Effective January 1, 2010.)