Substitute Senate Bill No. 1417 establishes a Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board, effective July 1, 2025, tasked with setting employment, training, and minimum compensation standards for nursing home workers. The board will consist of 11 members, including state commissioners and representatives from nursing home employers and workers, appointed by the Governor. Key responsibilities include holding public hearings, investigating working conditions, and adopting standards based on stakeholder input. The bill mandates that nursing home employers compensate workers for training hours, provide written notices about employment standards, and prohibits retaliation against workers exercising their rights under the new standards.

The legislation also requires the board to create a training curriculum and report annually to legislative committees starting December 1, 2025. The Labor Commissioner and the Commissioner of Public Health are tasked with adopting regulations concerning minimum compensation and training standards. The bill includes provisions for civil actions against employers who violate its terms, allowing workers to seek damages for lost wages and other compensations. Notably, the bill prohibits nursing home employers from paying below the minimum standards set by the board and disallows any agreements made post-adoption of these standards as a defense against violations. Overall, the bill aims to enhance the quality of care in nursing homes by improving workforce conditions and standards.