Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB720

Introduced
1/31/25  
Refer
1/31/25  

Caption

Hospitals - Clinical Staffing Committees and Plans - Establishment (Safe Staffing Act of 2025)

Impact

If passed, SB720 will fundamentally alter how hospitals manage their clinical staffing. It will require hospitals to create a clinical staffing committee with equal representation from management and clinical staff, fostering collaboration in workforce planning. Additionally, hospitals will need to publicly display their staffing plans, which increases accountability and transparency in healthcare delivery. The law will come into effect on October 1, 2025, providing time for hospitals to prepare for compliance.

Summary

Senate Bill 720, titled the Safe Staffing Act of 2025, mandates that hospitals in the state establish and maintain clinical staffing committees. The committees are tasked with developing clinical staffing plans to ensure adequate staffing levels for patient care. This initiative aims to enhance patient safety and healthcare quality by requiring hospitals to implement a structured approach to managing clinical staff assignments. The bill's enactment is framed as a necessary response to concerns about staffing shortages and their impact on patient outcomes in healthcare facilities across the state.

Contention

The bill has sparked discussions regarding its implications for hospital operations. Supporters argue that standardized staffing plans are essential to improve patient safety and care quality, while detractors raise concerns about potential administrative burdens and the operational flexibility of hospitals. There is fear that overly rigid staffing requirements could hinder hospitals' ability to respond effectively to varying patient needs and financial constraints, particularly in rural or underserved areas.

Companion Bills

MD HB905

Crossfiled Hospitals - Clinical Staffing Committees and Plans - Establishment (Safe Staffing Act of 2025)

Previously Filed As

MD SB1020

Hospitals - Clinical Staffing Committees and Plans - Establishment (Safe Staffing Act of 2024)

MD HB1194

Hospitals - Patient's Bill of Rights Training and Clinical Staffing Committees and Plans (Safe Staffing Act of 2024)

MD SB328

Funding for Wages and Benefits for Nursing Home Workers (Nursing Home Staffing Crisis Funding Act of 2024)

MD HB462

Funding for Wages and Benefits for Nursing Home Workers (Nursing Home Staffing Crisis Funding Act of 2024)

MD HB1034

Baltimore City Sheriff - Staffing

MD HB969

Public Service Commission – Cybersecurity Staffing and Assessments (Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity Act of 2023)

MD SB800

Public Service Commission - Cybersecurity Staffing and Assessments (Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity Act of 2023)

MD HB632

Baltimore City Sheriff – Staffing

MD SB486

Baltimore City Sheriff – Staffing

MD SB934

State Department of Education - Division of Rehabilitation Services - Funding and Staffing

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