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★ Capitol report ★

Albany Watch

Nursing. Labor. Law. Politics.

Last Updated · May 25, 2026

Status verified: May 25, 2026. Verify current status at nysenate.gov before taking action.

Albany Watch tracks New York legislation and laws that affect nurses at the bedside: staffing, workplace violence, mandatory overtime, retention, licensing, and our ability to advocate for safe patient care.

Status
Issue

S4003 / A7095

Safe Staffing

In Committee

Safe Staffing

Why nurses should care

Would establish mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios in New York hospitals, including emergency departments. Directly limits how many patients a nurse can be assigned at one time.

  • Committee votes and floor scheduling in both chambers.
  • Contact your State Senator and Assembly Member.
  • Attend lobby days.
  • Use safe staffing documentation to support the case.

Last checked: May 25, 2026

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S8083A / A8623A

Safe Staffing

In Committee

Clinical Staffing Committees

Why nurses should care

Would extend Clinical Staffing Committee requirements to state-operated facilities, expanding the model already in place at hospitals like NYP LMH.

  • Committee advancement in both chambers.
  • Share your CSC experience with legislators.
  • Document what the committee has and hasn't resolved.

Last checked: May 25, 2026

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S4906A / A6055

Workplace Violence

In Committee

Workplace Violence

Why nurses should care

Would require healthcare facilities to report assaults on healthcare workers to the Department of Health.

  • Committee votes.
  • Document and report workplace violence incidents.
  • Share your experience with your delegate and legislators.

Last checked: May 25, 2026

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A4524 / S3916

Licensure

In Committee

Nurse Licensure Compact

Why nurses should care

Would allow New York RNs to practice in other compact states without obtaining a separate license — and vice versa.

  • Floor votes in both chambers.
  • Contact your representatives to support or oppose based on your position.

Last checked: May 25, 2026

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NY Public Health Law §2805-t

Safe Staffing

Enacted — Active

Clinical Staffing Committees (Existing Law)

Why nurses should care

This is the law that created your Clinical Staffing Committee at NYP LMH. It requires hospitals to form committees with equal representation from management and frontline nurses to set staffing grids.

  • DOH enforcement and compliance.
  • Document unresolved complaints.
  • Participate in your CSC.
  • File staffing complaints.
  • Document violations.

Last checked: May 25, 2026

View on NYS Legislature →
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★ Action ★

How Nurses Can Be Advocates

You do not need to be a lobbyist to be an advocate. You need facts, patterns, and a clear message.

  • Know the bill number before you contact a legislator.
  • Contact your NYS Senator and Assemblymember.
  • Use short, factual stories without PHI.
  • Explain how the issue affects patient safety and nurse safety.
  • Document staffing concerns through the staffing complaint / grid variance tracker.
  • Talk to your delegate about repeated patterns.
  • Sign up for bill alerts through the NYS Senate website.
  • Attend union lobby days or legislative actions if available.
  • Do not post patient identifiers, screenshots, room numbers, MRNs, or confidential documents.
  • Keep advocacy issue-focused, not candidate-focused.
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Bill status changes frequently. Albany Watch is for general nurse education and issue awareness only. Always verify current status through official New York State legislative sources before taking action.

The Bedside Shift Report · Rank-and-file nurse communication

The Bedside Shift Report is a rank-and-file nurse communication space for NYP Lower Manhattan nurses. Not an official statement of CWA Local 1104, NYP, or hospital management. No PHI of any kind.

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