A new state law will make it a felony to assault a New York City sanitation worker.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the bill Friday. It takes effect 30 days later.
Legislative sponsors say the city's trash haulers face potential harassment and stress at any time for simply doing their jobs, and some have been assaulted.
The measure is intended to deter that with stiffer penalties. It gives sanitation workers the same protection as police officers, firefighters, traffic enforcement and emergency medical personnel.
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