H.B. No. 2187 aims to enhance hospital staffing report processes and protect nurses from retaliation and mandatory overtime. The bill amends the Health and Safety Code by defining key terms such as "Commission" and introducing "Committee," which refers to nurse staffing committees. It establishes a mandatory reporting process for data collection related to nurse staffing and requires the department to provide this data to the commission for enforcement purposes. Additionally, the bill prohibits hospitals from retaliating against nurses who report violations or provide information to the staffing committee, allowing affected nurses to seek remedies under existing law.

Furthermore, the bill introduces Chapter 258A, which outlines the enforcement of hospital nurse staffing and overtime requirements. It mandates the commission to create a web page for nurses to report violations, investigate these reports, and notify hospitals of alleged violations while ensuring due process. The commission is also empowered to impose administrative penalties on hospitals that submit false information or violate staffing regulations. The executive commissioner is tasked with developing a penalty schedule based on the impact of violations on patient care and public interest. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025, with rules to be adopted by December 31, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Health and Safety Code 257.001, Health and Safety Code 257.005 (Health and Safety Code 257)