Statement from New York State Nurses Association on Safe Patient Handling Bill

LATHAM, June 21, 2012 - The 37,000 members of the New York State Nurses Association applaud the state Senate for passing the Safe Patient Handling Act - and call on the Assembly to vote on the bill today.

We called for the bill’s passage in a joint statement earlier this week, with our brothers and sisters from PEF, CSEA, NYSUT, CWA, DC37, 1199SEIU and the state AFL-CIO.

A vote today would show the Assembly’s support for patients and healthcare workers in every Assembly district in the state.

Many members of the Assembly have expressed their support for the bill. The Assembly overwhelmingly passed the bill last year.

Let this important issue - which affects thousands of lives each year - be voted on today by the Assembly, so patients, families and caregivers know where their legislators stand on patient safety.

We thank Senators George Maziarz and Kemp Hannon, and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, for their leadership in bringing this important bill to a vote and a victory for patients and caregivers.

The New York State Nurses Association is the voice for nursing in the Empire State. With more than 37,000 members, it is New York’s largest professional association and union for registered nurses. The association represents registered nurses, and some all-professional bargaining units, in New York and New Jersey. It supports nurses and nursing practice through education, research, legislative advocacy, and collective bargaining.

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