(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person who assaults, batters, or assaults and batters an individual while the individual is performing his or her duties as an employee or contractor of a public utility or because of the individual's status as an employee or contractor of a public utility is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both.

    (2) A person who assaults, batters, or assaults and batters an individual while the individual is performing his or her duties as an employee or contractor of a public utility or because of the individual's status as an employee or contractor of a public utility causing the individual bodily injury requiring medical attention or medical care is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 2 years or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both.

    (3) A person who assaults, batters, or assaults and batters an individual while the individual is performing his or her duties as an employee or contractor of a public utility or because of the individual's status as an employee or contractor of a public utility causing the individual serious impairment of a body function is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a fine of not less than $1,000.00 or more than $5,000.00, or both.

    (4) This section does not prohibit a person from being charged with, convicted of, or punished for any other violation of law arising out of the same transaction as the violation of this section.

    (5) As used in this section:

    (a) "Public utility" means a utility that provides steam, gas, heat, electricity, water, cable television, telecommunications services, or pipeline services, whether privately, municipally, or cooperatively owned.

    (b) "Serious impairment of a body function" means that term as defined in section 58c of the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.58c.