SB 25-166

This Colorado bill, SB 25-166, aims to reduce workplace violence in hospitals by tying quality incentive payments to how well the hospitals manage such issues. It requires hospitals with over 100 beds to adopt policies against workplace violence and report on them starting July 1, 2026. The state will work with healthcare stakeholders to develop specific metrics for measuring progress and may make legislative recommendations in January 2027. Since the bill has been signed into law, hospitals now need to prepare for these new reporting requirements and policy implementations.

Official Summary

The act includes a performance metric related to workplace violence in determining quality incentive payments made to hospitals. No later than September 1, 2025, the act requires the department of health care policy and financing (state department) and the quality incentives payments subcommittee of the Colorado healthcare affordability and sustainability enterprise board (board) to consult with a group of named stakeholders to develop recommended workplace violence metrics, determine whether any federal or private funds are available to assist hospitals in lowering the number of incidents of workplace violence, and develop legislative recommendations. The act requires the state department to include a progress report on developing workplace violence metrics during its 2026 "SMART Act" hearing. The act requires the board to include legislative recommendations it develops as part of its January 2027 report to the general assembly, the governor, and the medical services board. Beginning July 1, 2026, and each July thereafter, the act requires the state department to assess whether each hospital has adopted a formal policy to address workplace violence and submitted the reporting requirements to the department of public health and environment for the next federal fiscal year. The act exempts hospitals with fewer than 100 beds from the reporting requirements. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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