New Mexico HB172: SAFE STAFFING ACT & NURSING HOMES

What the bill says

An act relating to health; enacting the safe staffing act; requiring the health care authority to promulgate and enforce minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in hospitals; creating the staffing advisory committee; requiring hospitals to develop and implement policies and procedures; providing administrative penalties; declaring an emergency.

From the introduced text, January 27, 2026:

AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH; ENACTING THE SAFE STAFFING ACT; REQUIRING THE HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY TO PROMULGATE AND ENFORCE MINIMUM NURSE-TO-PATIENT STAFFING RATIOS IN HOSPITALS; CREATING THE STAFFING ADVISORY COMMITTEE; REQUIRING HOSPITALS TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES; PROVIDING ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTIES; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO: SECTION 1. A new section of the Health Care Code is enacted to read: "[NEW MATERIAL] SHORT TITLE.--This act may be cited as the "Safe Staffing Act"." SECTION 2. A new section of the Health Care Code is enacted to read: "[NEW MATERIAL] DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Safe Staffing .233276.1 wen = lairetam derocsrednu eteled = ]lairetam detekcarb[ Act: A. "critical access hospital" means a hospital that: (1) provides twenty-four-hour emergency department services; (2) has an average length of stay of no longer than ninety-six hours; (3) has fewer than twenty-five acute care inpatient beds; and (4) is located at least thirty-five miles from the closest hospital; B. "critical care unit" means a unit that is established to treat patients whose severity of medical conditions require continuous monitoring and complex intervention by nurses; C. "hospital" means a public, private for-profit or not-for-profit acute care, rehabilitation, limited service, critical access, general or special health facility offering inpatient services, nursing and overnight care seven days …

Read the full official text

Sponsors

• Eleanor Chávez (D, HD-026) · primary sponsor
• Joanne Ferrary (D, HD-037)
• Reena Szczepanski (D, HD-047)
• Elizabeth "Liz" Thomson (D, HD-024)
• Kathleen Cates (D, HD-044)

Latest actions

1. January 27, 2026: Not Printed
2. : Action Postponed Indefinitely

Common questions

What is HB172?

HB172 is a bill in the New Mexico Legislature (2026 Regular Session): SAFE STAFFING ACT & NURSING HOMES.

What does HB172 do?

In its own words: An act relating to health; enacting the safe staffing act; requiring the health care authority to promulgate and enforce minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in hospitals; creating the staffing advisory committee; requiring hospitals to develop and implement policies and procedures; providing administrative penalties; declaring an emergency.

What is the status of HB172?

Failed as of January 27, 2026. Latest action: Not Printed (January 27, 2026).

Who sponsored HB172?

Eleanor Chávez (D, HD-026), with 4 co-sponsors.

Where is the official record for HB172?

On the New Mexico Legislature website: https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?chamber=H&legType=B&legNo=172&year=26