After years of demanding action from the Legislature, nurses were on the cusp of finally gaining a voice in hospital staffing levels.
The “Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act”, approved by a conference committee Saturday, had aimed to address the working conditions of direct care nurses in hospitals and the related staffing shortages seen statewide.
But that deal fell through on the last day of session.
Instead, the House passed the conference committee report of what is now being termed the “Nurse and Patient Safety Act” Monday night. The vote on HF1522/SF1384* was 112-17. Having already cleared the Senate 40-25, the bill now heads to the desk of Gov. Tim Walz.
“This is not what we came here to do, but this is still a meaningful step forward for nurses that they deserve,” said Rep. Sandra Feist (DFL-New Brighton).
She and Sen. Erin Murphy (DFL-St. Paul) are the bill sponsors.
The proposal had garnered significant controversy throughout the legislative session, with hospital administrators and nurse unions both making concessions to reach what was thought to be the final agreement over the weekend.
The cornerstone of that agreement — an exemption to the proposed labor standards sought and gained by Mayo Clinic — proved unpalatable to several Senate DFLers, killing it in that body.
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