Fiscal Notes
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB280, As Introduced: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2019.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
Bill Analysis
This bill would allow the nursing resource center to use any available funding for a grant program aimed at reducing verbal and physical violence against nurses. A recipient of one of these grants would be required to submit periodic reports describing the outcomes of the activities funded through the grant. The executive commissioner of the nursing resource center would set rules related to submission and approval of grants requests and would be required to publish an annual detailed report related to the grant.
Vote Recommendation Notes
Workplace safety issues should be resolved by employees and their employers. To the extent that violence against nurses is taking place, the healthcare facility has an obligation to take measures to correct these issues. If they are grossly negligent in taking protective measures they can be sued in civil courts. HB 280 violates our liberty principle of limited government because it is not the proper role of government to fund and investigate ways to solve these problems. The professional associations to which nurses belong are capable of undertaking this task and will likely do it better than any government agency could.
