{"id":9506,"date":"2026-04-15T16:12:33","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T20:12:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/senatedems.com\/chang\/?p=9506"},"modified":"2026-04-15T16:13:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T20:13:34","slug":"protect-michigan-nurses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/senatedems.com\/chang\/2026\/04\/15\/protect-michigan-nurses\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Michigan Nurses from Forced Overtime"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” type=”4_4″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]
Legislation tackles\u00a0the nurse staffing crisis,\u00a0improves\u00a0working\u00a0conditions<\/i><\/div>\n
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LANSING, Mich. (April 15,\u00a02026)\u00a0\u2014 Today, the Michigan Senate passed\u00a0Senate Bills\u00a0296\u00a0and\u00a0297,\u00a0bipartisan legislation that\u00a0aims\u00a0to\u00a0improve working conditions for nurses statewide.\u00a0Championed\u00a0by\u00a0Sens.\u00a0<\/span>Stephanie Chang\u00a0<\/span><\/b>(D-Detroit)\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Ed McBroom<\/b>\u00a0(R-Waucedah\u00a0Twp.),\u00a0this\u00a0legislation\u00a0would\u00a0protect\u00a0Michigan\u00a0nurses\u00a0from\u00a0exploitative\u00a0forced overtime\u00a0practices\u00a0<\/span>that are driving many to leave their careers.<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n

<\/span>Currently, there is no law limiting the number of hours a nurse can be scheduled for, with many hospitals requiring nurses to stay overtime after their scheduled shifts. Following a typical 12-hour scheduled shift, nurses may be pressured into providing care for up to 18 hours without the right to say no. These conditions, paired with high patient-to-nurse ratios, are\u00a0<\/span>contributing<\/u><\/a><\/span>\u00a0to the nurse staffing crisis.<\/p>\n

\u201cForcing nurses to continue providing critical care for\u00a0hours\u00a0on end\u00a0\u2014\u00a0while\u00a0exhausted\u00a0and sleep deprived \u2014\u00a0is unsafe for\u00a0patients and worsens our nursing shortage,\u201d said Sen.\u00a0<\/span>Chang<\/b>. \u201cOur hardworking nurses are crucial to\u00a0getting\u00a0Michiganders\u00a0well, and guardrails to protect them from\u00a0grueling\u00a0required overtime\u00a0are long overdue. I am\u00a0excited that the Senate took bipartisan action today to\u00a0advance real solutions for the safety of\u00a0nurses\u00a0and patients.\u201d<\/p>\n

More specifically, this bill package would:<\/p>\n

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