House adopts amendment clarifying who may authorize hallway beds during a hospital emergency

The House adopted an amendment to House Bill 5164 to clarify which hospital official may authorize placing patient beds in hallways or other means of egress during a justified emergency.

Explaining the amendment, a sponsor said the bill "establishes a limited exception to fire and building codes allowing hospitals to place patient beds in hallways, corridors, or other means of egress during a justified emergency," and that the amendment specifies a designated member of the emergency department leadership team at the affected facility would make the authorization.

Representative Williams asked whether the authorization comes from someone in the facility or from an external emergency management center; the sponsor responded that the authorization would be made by someone at the facility experiencing the emergency. The amendment was adopted and the House recorded a 110‑0 tabulation advancing the bill to second reading.

Supporters described the measure as narrowly tailored to allow a temporary exception in acute surge or mass‑casualty events, with facility leadership responsible for on‑site decisions. The sponsor said rules would clarify who at the hospital could make the call to implement the exception.