Skip to content
A2264Assembly2009-2010 Session

Enacts the "safe staffing for quality care act"

Sponsor Richard GottfriedAD-75+46 co-sponsorsAffects Health
Status
In Assembly Committee
Health
Impact
Pending
Passage
Pending

Bill progress

Step 2 of 7

In committee · Health

What's happening

Writing a plain-English summary… Track this bill to get it by email.

Why it matters

The daily · weekday mornings

Albany, before your first meeting.

Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.

Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.

Who cares

Headline styles

Sponsors

History

  1. Print number 2264a
  2. Amend and recommit to health
  3. Referred to health
  4. Reported referred to ways and means
  5. Reported referred to codes
  6. Referred to health

Full text

The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.

Sponsor's memo

BILL NUMBER:A2264A

Title of bill

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to enacting the "safe staffing for quality care act" and to amend the state finance law, in relation to moneys deposited into the improving quality of patient care fund

Purpose or general idea of bill

Authorizes the State Department of Health to require all acute care facilities to comply with regulations that utilizes an assessment tool to determine acuity of patient health needs to establish standards for appropriate staffing ratios of nursing staff.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1 is the short title.

§2 of the bill amends paragraphs (a) and (b) of subdivision 2 of section 2805 to require that application for operating certificates for a hospi- tal include a staffing plan.

§3 of the bill amends the public health law to add ten new sections, 2823 through 2831 which will require. hospitals to maintain and comply with a current staffing plan, and related provisions:

§ 2823. Establishes the policy and purpose of this legislation.

§ 2824. Defines terms used in these new sections.

§ 2825. Authorizes the commissioner of health to promulgate regulations pursuant to these sections.

§ 2826. Establishes the elements of a satisfactory staffing plan, setting forth minimum staff to patient ratios.

§ 2827. Requires compliance with staffing plans at all times except in emergency situations as defined. Also requires that staff have adequate orientation, as well as clinical competency.

§ 2828. Sets forth the conditions under which a staff nurse may refuse an assignment.

§ 2829. Sets standards for public disclosure of staffing standards as mandated by the department, and of actual staffing experience.

§ 2830. Prohibits delegation of the department's powers or duties to enforce safe staffing requirements.

§ 2831. Establishes increased civil penalties and a private right of action.

Section 4 of the bill adds a new subdivision 3-b of section 2801 of the Public health law directing the Public health Council to consider staff-

ing violations when reviewing applications and renewals of certificates of incorporation.

Section 5 of the bill adds a new subdivision 3 of section 2805 of the Public Health law to require the Commissioner of Health to consider staffing violations when reviewing applications and renewals operating certificates for acute care facilities.

Section 6 amends subdivision 2 and 4 of section 97-aaaa of the State Finance Law to require the Health Department consider nurse staffing initiatives when distributing moneys earned on penalties from staffing violations.

Justification

Licensed nurses constitute the highest percentage of direct health care staff in acute care facilities and have a central role in health care delivery. Inadequate and poorly monitored nurse staffing practices jeopardize the delivery of quality health care services and adversely impact the health of patients who enter acute care facilities, resulting in dangerous medical errors and patient infections. Establishing staffing standards for licensed nurses in acute care facilities throughout the state will ensure that these facilities operate in a manner that guarantees the public safety and the delivery of quality health care services.

Prior legislative history

2003: A7200 - reported to codes committee 2004: A7200A - referred to health committee 2005: A4094 - reported to codes committee 2006: A4094A - referred to health committee 2007-08: A6119 - reported to Ways and Means Committee 2009: A.2264 - reported to Ways and Means Committee

Fiscal implications

None to the state

Effective date

Takes effect 180 days after it becomes law.

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.