Legislation would address overcrowding at Minnesota hospitals

(Minneapolis, MN) -- New legislation is aimed at addressing overcrowding at Minnesota hospitals.

A bill unveiled Monday would require hospitals to set up staffing committees to create sufficient nurse-patient staffing levels.

The bill would also eliminate boarding patients in ERs. A lack of skilled nursing facilities and at-home caregivers is leading to hospital overcrowding across Minnesota.

Officials say delays in releasing patients are leading to backups in emergency rooms as people wait for beds to open up.

Lawmakers say they are trying to find ways to adequately address the problem of insufficient transitional care.