Union nurses celebrate governor’s signature on S.B. 81

California nurses say new law that takes immediate effect is urgently needed to protect health care facilities and patients from immigration authorities

California Nurses Association (CNA), the largest union of registered nurses in the state of California, today celebrates the passage of Senate Bill 81 (S.B. 81), which now goes into immediate effect as law. Nurses say this critical new law is an essential check on the power of immigration authorities in health care settings.

“This is a huge step towards addressing the fear being expressed by patients at our hospitals,” said Sandy Reding, RN and CNA president. “Keeping all health care facilities safe for immigrant patients must be a priority, and we’re proud to see this bill signed into law for the sake of our patients, our communities, and the health of everyone in California.”

California nurses have supported this law throughout the legislative process and look forward to working with their hospitals to put response plans for immigration enforcement activity in place, one of the new law’s key measures. S.B. 81 additionally protects place of birth and immigration status as protected health information, enhancing existing patient privacy protections.

CNA is an affiliate of National Nurses United, the country’s largest nurses union, which has opposed the cancellation of sanctuary policies for hospitals, supported efforts towards federal accountability, spoken out to support activists, condemned ICE detentions made at hospitals, and encouraged patients to empower themselves with knowledge of their rights.