Pending Bill  Aims to Protect Nurses Who Report Unsafe Staffing

A bill that would give Minnesota nurses the right to refuse patient care assignments they believe to be unsafe passed the House Health Finance and Policy Committee Thursday. House File 4200, sponsored by Rep. Sandra Feist (DFL-New Brighton), aims to prevent burnout and improve patient safety by protecting nurses who speak up about overwork and understaffing.

If passed, the bill would prohibit hospitals and clinics from retaliating against nurses who refuse to take on additional patients due to concerns about safety. The bill comes at a time when studies show high rates of burnout and job dissatisfaction among nurses, often due to heavy workloads and staffing shortages.

With an 11-8 vote, the committee forwarded the bill, known as the "Health Care Employee Anti-Retaliation and Labor Act," to the House Labor and Industry Finance and Policy Committee.

“I’m looking forward to continuing last year’s efforts to improve conditions for some of our most critical healthcare workers,” said Rep. Sandra Feist (DFL-New Brighton)

The bill now moves to the House floor for consideration. If passed into law, Minnesota would join other states that have passed similar legislation upholding nurses' ability to refuse unsafe assignments. With nurses at the frontlines of patient care, supporters argue such laws are vital to ensuring high-quality health care and positive outcomes.