CA AB840

Prohibits state facilities (operated by Corrections and Rehabilitation, State Hospitals, Veterans Affairs, and Developmental Services) from requiring nurses and Certified Nursing Assistants to work beyond their regularly scheduled shifts, effective January 1, 2019

Allows nurses and CNAs to voluntarily work additional hours, but refusal cannot result in discipline, dismissal, or be considered patient abandonment under the Nursing Practice Act

Permits mandatory overtime only in emergency situations, during active surgical procedures, or in catastrophic events that create unpredictable surges in patient needs

Requires each affected facility to establish an 8-member joint labor-management task force to meet quarterly and develop recommendations and plans to reduce or eliminate mandatory overtime

Mandates the task force submit a report to the Legislature by November 1, 2018, detailing voluntary and mandatory overtime hours, complaints, and recommendations for statutory changes