02/19/2026

Senate Bill Would Reinstate Federal Nursing Home Staffing Mandate

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, on February 12 introduced the Nurses Belong in Nursing Homes Act (S. 3886), legislation that would establish federal minimum staffing standards for nursing homes.

The bill mirrors the now-repealed Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities rule. It would require 3.48 hours per resident per day of total nurse staffing, along with registered nurse coverage twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week.

LeadingAge opposes the legislation, citing concerns about workforce availability and the impact on nonprofit providers. Read more here.