S. 5157: Nurse Overtime and Patient Safety Act
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S. 5157: Nurse Overtime and Patient Safety Act
117th Congress · introduced 2022-12-01 · Health · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
federal
Follow this bill, step by step
- Where it came from: introduced 2022-12-01 · official record
- Who proposed it: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] · what a sponsor is
- What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
- Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
- If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.
Official title
Nurse Overtime and Patient Safety Act
Plain summary
Nurse Overtime and Patient Safety Act This bill requires certain providers, as a condition of Medicare participation, to limit mandatory overtime for nurses. Specifically, the bill prohibits hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, home health agencies, rural health clinics, federally qualified health centers, and other specified providers from requiring nurses to work (1) more than a previously scheduled shift, 48 hours in a workweek, or 12 consecutive hours in a 24-hour period; or (2) during the 10 hours immediately following the 12th hour worked in a shift during a 24-hour period. Qualifying work hours include time spent in training, on call, and on standby. The bill's provisions do not apply during declared emergencies or disasters, subject to specified conditions, and do not preclude voluntary overtime. The bill also establishes (1) certain protections for nurses who file complaints against providers, (2) documentation and notice requirements for providers, and (3) potential civil penalties for violations.
Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.
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What does this mean? (plain words)
Official text
Nurse Overtime and Patient Safety Act
Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes
Officials and money
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] · 0 cosponsors
Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.
Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] reported raising $5.4 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.
No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.
Words on this page, explained (1)
- Bill
- A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.
Sources
- Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
- Congress.gov
- Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117s5157.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/s>
Record fed-us-cong117-s5157 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117