S 3886 United States Senate · 119th Congress

Nurses Belong in Nursing Homes Act

This bill establishes minimum nurse staffing requirements for nursing homes participating in Medicare and Medicaid. It requires facilities to provide 24-hour registered nurse coverage (transitioning from 8-hour daily coverage within 180 days of enactment) and maintain a minimum of 3.48 hours of nursing care per resident daily. The bill mandates a study every four years to review staffing standards based on resident needs and safety data, with findings informing future regulations. Additionally, it directs states to use a portion of collected civil penalties to fund workforce programs like student loan repayment and career pathway development for nursing home staff.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced Feb 12, 2026 Last action Feb 12, 2026
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2
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Committee
1
Feb 12, 2026
Committee
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
upper
Feb 12, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
1 primary · 6 co-sponsors

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