The proposed bill amends the Public Health Code by adding Section 21526, which establishes regulations regarding the working hours of registered professional nurses in hospitals. Under this new section, hospitals are prohibited from requiring nurses to work beyond their predetermined schedules, including on-call hours and any voluntarily agreed additional hours. Furthermore, if a nurse works 12 or more consecutive hours, the hospital must provide them with 8 consecutive hours of off-duty time afterward. However, there are exceptions to these requirements during declared states of emergency, mass casualty incidents, or specific circumstances where patient care necessitates the nurse's continued presence.

Additionally, the bill protects nurses from disciplinary actions if they refuse work assignments that exceed the stipulated hours. Hospitals are required to inform their nursing staff about these regulations and the process for filing complaints regarding violations. The bill also outlines administrative sanctions for hospitals that do not comply with these provisions. It includes a clause stating that if a collective bargaining agreement is in effect that conflicts with this section, the provisions will not apply until the agreement expires.

Statutes affected:
Senate Introduced Bill: 333.1101, 333.25211