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    SB-596
    Health & Public Health

    Health facilities: administrative penalties.

    Engrossed
    CA
    ∙
    2025-2026 Regular Session
    0
    0
    Track
    Track

    Key Takeaways

    • Requires health facilities to maintain strict nurse-to-patient ratios or face increased penalties up to $30,000.
    • Mandates state inspections within 10 business days of receiving staffing violation complaints.
    • Establishes clear rules for what constitutes a valid on-call nursing list for staffing shortages.
    • Treats staffing violations occurring on different days as separate infractions for penalty purposes.

    Summary

    Senator Menjivar's legislation revises California's health facility inspection protocols and penalty framework, establishing new requirements for investigating nurse-to-patient ratio complaints. The Department of Public Health must initiate inspections within 10 business days for non-emergency staffing complaints and complete investigations within 60 days.

    The bill refines how administrative penalties apply to nurse staffing violations, with fines of $15,000 for initial infractions and $30,000 for subsequent violations. It introduces a precise definition of "on-call list" - limiting it to nurses scheduled for on-call shifts or assigned to float pools for specific units. The legislation specifies that contacting nurses outside these parameters does not qualify as exhausting the on-call list when facilities attempt to address staffing shortages.

    For general acute care hospitals, the bill maintains exemptions from staffing ratio penalties when facilities can demonstrate that fluctuations were unpredictable and uncontrollable, prompt efforts were made to maintain required staffing levels, and the hospital properly utilized its on-call list and charge nurse. The Department must now treat violations occurring on different days as separate infractions rather than combining them into a single violation. Small and rural hospitals retain special consideration in enforcement to preserve access to care.

    Key Dates

    Next Step
    Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Health
    Next Step
    Assembly Committee
    Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Health
    Hearing scheduled for , 1021 O Street, Room 1100
    Vote on Senate Floor
    Senate Floor
    Vote on Senate Floor
    Senate 3rd Reading SB596 Menjivar
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Do pass
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Placed on suspense file
    Senate Health Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Health Hearing
    Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]
    Introduced
    Senate Floor
    Introduced
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

    Contacts

    Profile
    Cecilia Aguiar-CurryD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Heath FloraR
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Joaquin ArambulaD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Mia BontaD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Dawn AddisD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    0 of 17 row(s) selected.
    Page 1 of 4
    Select All Legislators
    Profile
    Cecilia Aguiar-CurryD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Heath FloraR
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Joaquin ArambulaD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Mia BontaD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Dawn AddisD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Joe PattersonR
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Juan CarrilloD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Kate SanchezR
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Pilar SchiavoD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Caroline MenjivarD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Mark GonzalezD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Maggy KrellD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Darshana PatelD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Celeste RodriguezD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    LaShae Sharp-CollinsD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Catherine StefaniD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    David TangipaR
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member

    Get Involved

    Act Now!

    Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

    Introduced By

    Caroline Menjivar
    Caroline MenjivarD
    California State Senator
    40% progression
    Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (6/4/2025)

    Latest Voting History

    View History
    June 4, 2025
    PASS
    Senate Floor
    Vote on Senate Floor
    AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
    2410640PASS

    Key Takeaways

    • Requires health facilities to maintain strict nurse-to-patient ratios or face increased penalties up to $30,000.
    • Mandates state inspections within 10 business days of receiving staffing violation complaints.
    • Establishes clear rules for what constitutes a valid on-call nursing list for staffing shortages.
    • Treats staffing violations occurring on different days as separate infractions for penalty purposes.

    Get Involved

    Act Now!

    Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

    Introduced By

    Caroline Menjivar
    Caroline MenjivarD
    California State Senator

    Summary

    Senator Menjivar's legislation revises California's health facility inspection protocols and penalty framework, establishing new requirements for investigating nurse-to-patient ratio complaints. The Department of Public Health must initiate inspections within 10 business days for non-emergency staffing complaints and complete investigations within 60 days.

    The bill refines how administrative penalties apply to nurse staffing violations, with fines of $15,000 for initial infractions and $30,000 for subsequent violations. It introduces a precise definition of "on-call list" - limiting it to nurses scheduled for on-call shifts or assigned to float pools for specific units. The legislation specifies that contacting nurses outside these parameters does not qualify as exhausting the on-call list when facilities attempt to address staffing shortages.

    For general acute care hospitals, the bill maintains exemptions from staffing ratio penalties when facilities can demonstrate that fluctuations were unpredictable and uncontrollable, prompt efforts were made to maintain required staffing levels, and the hospital properly utilized its on-call list and charge nurse. The Department must now treat violations occurring on different days as separate infractions rather than combining them into a single violation. Small and rural hospitals retain special consideration in enforcement to preserve access to care.

    40% progression
    Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (6/4/2025)

    Key Dates

    Next Step
    Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Health
    Next Step
    Assembly Committee
    Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Health
    Hearing scheduled for , 1021 O Street, Room 1100
    Vote on Senate Floor
    Senate Floor
    Vote on Senate Floor
    Senate 3rd Reading SB596 Menjivar
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Do pass
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Placed on suspense file
    Senate Health Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Health Hearing
    Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]
    Introduced
    Senate Floor
    Introduced
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

    Latest Voting History

    View History
    June 4, 2025
    PASS
    Senate Floor
    Vote on Senate Floor
    AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
    2410640PASS

    Contacts

    Profile
    Cecilia Aguiar-CurryD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Heath FloraR
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Joaquin ArambulaD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Mia BontaD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Dawn AddisD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    0 of 17 row(s) selected.
    Page 1 of 4
    Select All Legislators
    Profile
    Cecilia Aguiar-CurryD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Heath FloraR
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Joaquin ArambulaD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Mia BontaD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Dawn AddisD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Joe PattersonR
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Juan CarrilloD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Kate SanchezR
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Pilar SchiavoD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Caroline MenjivarD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Mark GonzalezD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Maggy KrellD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Darshana PatelD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Celeste RodriguezD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    LaShae Sharp-CollinsD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Catherine StefaniD
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member
    Profile
    David TangipaR
    Assemblymember
    Committee Member