SF1561 - The Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act of 2023

• Establishes hospital nurse staffing committees (with at least 35% direct-care RN membership) and unit-level nurse workload committees to develop evidence-based core staffing plans and resolve staffing complaints through dispute resolution and expedited arbitration.

• Requires hospitals to publicly post core staffing plans and real-time compliance notices in patient care areas, submit quarterly staffing reports to the commissioner, and implement a grading system for hospital compliance with staffing plans (effective January 1, 2026).

• Prohibits retaliation against nurses who refuse unsafe patient assignments and creates a hospital nursing education loan forgiveness program for nonprofit hospital nurses enrolled in the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

• Strengthens workplace violence prevention requirements in hospitals, including mandatory action plans, committee oversight, staff training, and prohibitions on security personnel affiliating with extremist groups.

• Appropriates $30 million total for hospital staffing implementation, violence prevention programs, nursing loan forgiveness ($10 million for mental health grants to healthcare facilities), and conducts studies on staffing adequacy and nursing workforce retention.