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Supporters push bill to require an RN on every hospital and nursing‑home board
Summary
Witnesses including the American Nurses Association and the bill sponsor urged the committee to require at least one registered nurse with full voting rights on every acute hospital and nursing‑home board in the Commonwealth.
Patricia Crispy of the American Nurses Association told the Committee on Aging and Independence that House Bill 766 would require every acute hospital and nursing home in the Commonwealth to have “at least one registered nurse member with full voting rights and privileges on the board of directors or trustees.” Crispy said nurses bring expertise in quality, patient safety and operations and argued that boards would make more effective decisions with nursing representation.
Crispy described the Association as representing “5,000,000 nurses nationally and over 130,000 registered nurses here in the Commonwealth,” and said the organization previously filed a version of this proposal in 2023. She said adding nurses to governance “enhances diversity of ideas and a broader range of perspectives for the largest health care workforce.”
Representative Renato, identified on the record as the sponsor of H 766, told the committee the bill is intended to ensure governing bodies reflect the realities of patient care and noted that federal rules require registered nurses to be on site 24/7 in nursing homes. “Including nurses on boards ensures that the decisions reflect the abilities, the realities of patient care,” Renato said, arguing that board insight could better align strategy with clinical needs.
Committee members asked for clarification about whether assisted‑living residences (ALRs) would be covered by the bill; Crispy said she would “get the details and let you know” and that the Association had provided written testimony. The transcript records no committee vote on H 766 during the hearing; Crispy and the sponsor urged the committee to act favorably and to follow up with clarifying definitions and data on current board composition.
Less critical details: committee members asked how many hospitals and nursing homes currently have a registered nurse on their board; Crispy said exact numbers were not at hand and that public board rosters often do not specify members’ professional backgrounds. The Association committed to providing more precise data to the committee.
