H.B. No. 1420 proposes a study on nurse-to-patient ratios specifically for critical care patients in health care facilities. The bill defines key terms such as "Commission," "Critical care," and "Direct care registered nurse." It mandates the Health and Human Services Commission to conduct the study in consultation with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, focusing on the outcomes and efficacy of limiting the number of critical care patients assigned to a direct care registered nurse. The commission is required to submit a written report with findings and recommendations to the governor and legislature by December 1, 2026, and to make the report available on its website.

The bill also includes a provision for its expiration on September 1, 2027, and specifies that it will take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote from both houses of the legislature; otherwise, it will take effect on September 1, 2025. There are no insertions or deletions of legal language noted in the text.