To afford police officers the same protection from assault as prison guards, the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, approved Rep. Lou Schmitt’s House Bill 103, which would make it a criminal offense for an officer to be assaulted with bodily fluids, such as spit. It would also provide a stricter penalty for people who have an infectious disease and are convicted of assaulting an officer with bodily fluids. Should the bill become law, the offense would be classified as a first-degree misdemeanor, which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine; and an enhanced third-degree felony, which includes up to seven years and up to a $15,000 fine, if the person knows or has reason to know he or she has an infectious disease.