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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1598 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1543 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Cindy F. Friedman |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act establishing a nursing workforce center. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Cindy F. FriedmanFourth MiddlesexJoanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester2/5/2025 1 of 3 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1598 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1543 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Ms. Friedman, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1543) of Cindy F. Friedman and |
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| 19 | 19 | | Joanne M. Comerford for legislation to establish a nursing workforce center at the University of |
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| 20 | 20 | | Massachusetts medical school in Worcester. Public Health. |
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| 21 | 21 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 22 | 22 | | _______________ |
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| 23 | 23 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
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| 26 | 26 | | An Act establishing a nursing workforce center. |
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| 27 | 27 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 28 | 28 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | 1 SECTION 1. Chapter 75 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, |
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| 30 | 30 | | 2is hereby amended by inserting after section 36E the following section:- |
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| 31 | 31 | | 3 Section 36F. (a) There shall be at the University of Massachusetts medical school in |
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| 32 | 32 | | 4Worcester a nursing workforce center. The purpose of the nursing workforce center shall be to |
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| 33 | 33 | | 5gather data, research and provide analysis to advise policy leaders on how to address the current |
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| 34 | 34 | | 6and future nursing workforce needs of nurses and others who support nursing care and to provide |
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| 35 | 35 | | 7recommendations to advance nursing science and practice in the commonwealth. The nursing |
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| 36 | 36 | | 8workforce center shall be administered by an executive director who shall be appointed by the |
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| 37 | 37 | | 9dean of the University of Massachusetts medical school. The nursing workforce center shall be |
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| 38 | 38 | | 10subject to the direction and oversight of the executive office of health and human services. |
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| 39 | 39 | | 11 (b) The nursing workforce center shall: 2 of 3 |
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| 40 | 40 | | 12 (1) Convene a diverse group of key stakeholders including nurses, health care providers, |
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| 41 | 41 | | 13business and industry leaders, consumers, state agencies, legislators and educators to collaborate |
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| 42 | 42 | | 14on strategies to improve the nursing workforce and speak with one voice on issues impacting the |
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| 43 | 43 | | 15nursing workforce; |
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| 44 | 44 | | 16 (2) Conduct research on best practices and quality patient outcomes across settings; |
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| 45 | 45 | | 17 (3) Prepare and disseminate written reports and recommendations regarding the current |
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| 46 | 46 | | 18and future status and trends of the nursing workforce; |
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| 47 | 47 | | 19 (4) Research, analyze and report data related to the recruitment and retention of the |
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| 48 | 48 | | 20nursing workforce; |
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| 49 | 49 | | 21 (5) Develop and implement strategies to recruit and retain nurses in the commonwealth; |
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| 50 | 50 | | 22 (6) Recommend systemic changes to the nursing workforce pipeline; |
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| 51 | 51 | | 23 (7) Foster collaboration among members of the health care community to achieve policy |
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| 52 | 52 | | 24consensus, promote diversity across the profession and within the health care workforce and |
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| 53 | 53 | | 25enhance the knowledge of nursing practice; |
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| 54 | 54 | | 26 (8) Encourage initiatives to support nursing excellence through innovative strategies such |
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| 55 | 55 | | 27as recognition programs, incentives for professional growth and activities that enhance the |
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| 56 | 56 | | 28visibility and positive perception of the nursing profession across the commonwealth; |
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| 57 | 57 | | 29 (9) Provide consultation, technical assistance and information related to nursing resources |
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| 58 | 58 | | 30within and outside of the commonwealth and serve as a clearinghouse on nursing practice and |
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| 59 | 59 | | 31nursing workforce data; and 3 of 3 |
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| 60 | 60 | | 32 (10) Examine and engage in other matters deemed appropriate by the executive office of |
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| 61 | 61 | | 33health and human services. |
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| 62 | 62 | | 34 (c) Annually, the nursing workforce center shall submit a report summarizing its |
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| 63 | 63 | | 35activities and made policy recommendations to the secretary of health and human services, the |
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| 64 | 64 | | 36chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means, the chairs of the joint committee |
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| 65 | 65 | | 37on public health, the chairs of the joint committee on health care financing and the chairs joint |
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| 66 | 66 | | 38committee on higher education. The report shall be made publicly available on the nursing |
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| 67 | 67 | | 39workforce center’s website. |
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| 68 | 68 | | 40 SECTION 2. The first nursing workforce center report, established pursuant section 36F |
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| 69 | 69 | | 41of Chapter 75 of the General Laws, shall be submitted not later than 1 year after the effective |
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| 70 | 70 | | 42date of this act. |
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