H.F. 3242 - The Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act

• Requires each hospital to establish a hospital nurse staffing committee with at least 60% direct care registered nurse members and develop evidence-based core staffing plans for each inpatient care unit effective July 1, 2024.

• Hospitals must publicly post core staffing plans and current compliance notices on patient care units, provide copies to patients and visitors within four hours upon request, and document compliance for five years.

• Establishes enforcement mechanisms including $5,000 fines for failure to submit quarterly nurse staffing reports, $1,000 per unit penalties for non-compliance with core staffing plans, and escalating daily fines of up to $5,000 per day for continued violations.

• Creates a secure online portal for anonymous employee reports of unsafe staffing conditions and requires the Office of Health Facility Complaints to investigate reports within 30 days.

• Prohibits hospitals and the Board of Nursing from retaliating against direct care registered nurses for challenging staffing committee processes, core staffing plans, or submitting reports of unsafe conditions.