ALBANY — Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, R-Brunswick, said today he hopes the state Legislature will pass a bill this month barring hospitals and other health-care institutions from requiring nurses to work overtime.

The Senate leader addressed a rally on the steps of the Capitol organized by several unions representing nurses.

"Hey hey. Ho, ho. Mandatory overtime has got to go," the nurses chanted.

Bruno has addressed nurses' rallies before, expressing sympathy with that goal, but said today: "This is the year to get it done." He said negotiations on the issue are ongoing between the Senate, Assembly and governor's office.

Last year, the Assembly passed a union-backed bill, but the Senate did not. Health-care providers opposed that bill.

"It's a very difficult issue," Bruno said later.