Nurse Overtime and Patient Safety Act of 2026

Improved Patient Safety: By limiting work hours, the bill seeks to reduce medical errors caused by fatigue, poor sleep, and lack of alertness among nurses (Section 2, Paragraph 3).

Protection Against Forced Overtime: Nurses are protected from being required to work in excess of their scheduled shifts, more than 48 hours per week, or more than 12 consecutive hours in a 24-hour period (Section 3, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph A).

Job Security and Nondiscrimination: The bill prevents providers from retaliating against, penalizing, or discriminating against nurses who refuse mandatory overtime or report violations (Section 3, Paragraph 4, Subparagraph A).

Whistleblower Rights: Nurses have the right to file complaints with the Secretary regarding violations, and the Secretary is required to investigate these complaints (Section 3, Paragraph 3, Subparagraphs A and B).

Protection Against Unfair Professional Reporting: Providers are prohibited from filing complaints against a nurse with state professional disciplinary agencies simply because the nurse refused to work mandatory overtime (Section 3, Paragraph 4, Subparagraph B).

Exceptions During Emergencies: During a declared emergency or disaster, providers may still require nurses to work beyond the established limits if they have made reasonable efforts to fill staffing needs and there is potential harm to an assigned patient (Section 3, Paragraph 2).

Mandatory Overtime Definition: The definition of "mandatory overtime" includes hours that, if refused, may result in adverse employment consequences like discharge or loss of promotion (Section 3, Paragraph 9, Subparagraph A).