The Warren County Council of Governments may be weighing in on a controversial hospital staffing bill currently before the state Senate.

City of Warren Councilman John Wortman raised the issue during Wednesday night’s meeting.

HB 106, the Patient Safety Act, would set staffing requirements – nurse to patient rations – for the state’s hospitals.

It passed the House earlier this year and is now before the state Senate.

Rep. Kathy Rapp as chair of the Health Committee in the House scuttled the bill during the General Assembly’s last session.

“I know it’s a politically-charged issue,” Wortman said. “(There are) serious questions whether or not our hospital will be able to meet the mandates that are currently in that bill.

“I think it’s something we might want to take a look at.”

The concern expressed during the COG meeting was the economic impact of losing a hospital.

“If you can’t have doctors and an emergency room available like we have today,” COG chair Paul Pascuzzi said, “from an economic perspective, we’re in big trouble. It does impact every municipality in Warren County.

Wortman was asked to draft a letter that will then be routed through the COG’s legislative committee.

“I think it’s something we have to take a position on,” Wortman said. “I don’t think it’s a good piece of legislation…. (It’s) typical of Harrisburg, looking for a one-size-fits-all solution.”