SB 1732 - Florida Hospital Patient Protection Act

• Establishes mandatory minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for acute care hospitals and other health care facilities, with specific ratios for different unit types (1:1 in ICU/trauma, 1:2 in critical care, 1:3 in emergency/pediatrics, 1:4 in medical-surgical, 1:5 in rehabilitation).

• Prohibits mandatory overtime and requires health care facilities to implement written staffing plans based on patient acuity classification systems, with plans to be annually evaluated and updated by a committee with at least half direct care registered nurses.

• Protects direct care registered nurses' professional practice rights and patient advocacy duties, including ability to refuse unsafe assignments without retaliation, and prohibits facilities from filing complaints against nurses for exercising these rights.

• Requires posting of actual staffing levels on units, submission of staffing documentation to the Agency for Health Care Administration, and maintenance of staffing records for 2 years with public inspection access.

• Authorizes civil penalties up to $25,000 per violation (higher for patterns of violation) against facilities, establishes a toll-free hotline for reporting violations, and provides nurses a private right of action for retaliation including reinstatement and lost wages recovery.