Hospital staffing

Oregon HB4074 aimed to change hospital nurse staffing laws by requiring hospitals to have a nurse staffing plan developed by a committee. It proposed to increase the number of patients per nurse in medical-surgical units and allowed some hospitals to deviate from standard staffing ratios. The bill also included provisions for penalties for violations and required annual reporting on staffing compliance.

OR HB4074 is a house bill in the Oregon 2026 Legislative Measures, sponsored by Emily McIntire (R), currently “Failed” since March 6, 2026.

We track 304 Oregon bills this session, 2 of them sponsored by Emily McIntire.

Supporters of HB4074 would argue that the bill was a step towards improving hospital nurse staffing by ensuring that plans are in place and that hospitals are held accountable for patient care standards. They would emphasize the importance of having a structured approach to nurse staffing that can adapt to specific hospital needs while still maintaining quality care for patients.

Critics of HB4074 would contend that the changes could lead to overworked nurses and compromised patient safety by increasing the patient load per nurse. They might argue that allowing hospitals to deviate from established staffing ratios undermines the quality of healthcare and could result in inadequate care for patients.