She said it’s important for hospitals to support frontline caregivers and build up the pipeline of nurses. “We do not think strict nurse-to-patient ratios is the answer for how we move forward in our health care system,” Briley said. On Monday, Taya Briley, executive vice president of the Washington State Hospital Association, said the association continued to have concerns about the legislation even as it stalled in the Senate Ways and Means Committee. The Legislature is also addressing some of the issues with the nursing “pipeline” in other bills, such as providing loan forgiveness for nurse educators and creating more nursing slots.
Much of the argument from hospitals was that there were not enough nurses to fill the ratios, meaning they would have to begin cutting care for patients because they did not have enough staff. The amendment was never brought forth in the committee.
It would have tasked oversight with Labor and Industries, as opposed to the Department of Health, which has the ability to enforce staffing plans but has not been quick to do so. June Robinson, D-Everett, in the Ways and Means Committee would have removed the ratios but kept some provisions surrounding meal and rest breaks and overtime. Hospitals that failed to follow the ratios would have received daily fines by the state Labor and Industries department.Īn amendment from Sen. The original bill would have required hospital staffing plans to follow nurse-to-patient ratios, such as eight patients for every one nurse in emergency departments. “I’m definitely disappointed that we’re not stepping up for our frontline workers and our nurses,” Riccelli said. Because nothing is ever truly dead until the end of the session, lawmakers could find a way to revive it by the end of the session next Thursday. Marcus Riccelli, would have had to make it out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee by Monday, but it was not voted on. The bill, sponsored by Spokane Democratic Rep. The committee passed the measure on a party-line vote, 8 to 5, with all Republicans voting no.OLYMPIA – After a monthslong debate between hospitals and nursing unions, a bill that would have required hospitals to implement nurse-to-patient ratios died this week in the Legislature. And Dryden Representative Keith Goehner warned the increased demand for electricity, if natural gas is banned, could create instability across the regional grid. SATTGAST: Kennewick Representative Matt Boehnke (BEN' KEE) said if the bill becomes law, nearly one million natural gas customers in Washington would see a 700-hundred dollar increase in their annual energy bill. Unfortunately, it's significant and impactful on the people who are going to lose their jobs.” KLICKER: “This bill is significant and impactful. SATTGAST: Walla Walla Representative Mark Klicker is the assistant ranking Republican on the committee. And I'm opposed for those three reasons.” SATTGAST: Centralia Representative Peter Abbarno said the bill is terrible for consumers, small business owners, major utilities, builders, Realtors, and those in the trades industry.ĪBBARNO: “This legislation proposes the worst kind of trifecta – a bill that takes away choice from consumers, takes away money, takes away jobs. We should be trying to make jobs, not take jobs” This bill goes way too far when it signals it wants a whole industry and its workers to become obsolete. Pomeroy Representative Mary Dye is the ranking Republican on the committee.ĭYE: “We know the big picture here is to end every job tied to fossil fuels. SATTGAST: House Bill 1084 would take steps to accelerate removal of natural gas from homes and buildings, including use for space heating, furnaces, water heaters, interior gas fireplaces - even back-deck barbeque grills.Īll five Republicans on the House Environment and Energy Committee outlined the damages they say the legislation would cause.
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