AN ACT CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NURSING HOME WORKFORCE STANDARDS BOARD.

SB 1417 establishes a Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board to set minimum pay, benefits, and training requirements for nursing home workers in the state. The board, composed of state agency representatives, employer and worker advocates, and a legislative chair, will gather data on wages, benefits, and working conditions through public hearings. It will adopt minimum compensation standards by job type and regional wage data, with a waiver option for facilities facing financial hardship. These standards apply to nursing home workers (including direct care staff) and employers at Medicaid-funded facilities, but cannot take effect without prior state funding approval for any cost increases.