PennsylvaniaHospitals and surgery centers would capture smoke during surgical procedures
Pennsylvania hospitals and outpatient surgery centers would work with their surgical teams on policies requiring smoke capture during procedures that produce surgical smoke.
What it does
Hospitals and outpatient surgery centers would use smoke-capturing systems for every procedure that produces surgical smoke. Each facility would develop its policy with the entire surgical team.
Argument forCapturing surgical smoke could reduce patients’ and surgical teams’ exposure to smoke that affects their eyes and breathing.
Argument againstRequiring smoke capture for every smoke-producing procedure could require hospitals and surgery centers to adjust equipment and operating-room routines.
More detail
Hospitals and outpatient surgery centers would adopt and carry out policies requiring systems that capture surgical smoke. The requirement would cover every procedure that produces surgical smoke at these facilities. Facilities would develop their policies with the entire surgical team. They could choose any system that accounts for techniques needed for patient safety and considers operating-room workers’ safety. Compliance would be due by January 1, 2026, or 90 days after the requirement takes effect, whichever is later. The act would take effect immediately upon enactment.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Oct 22Act No. 59 of 2026Latest
- Oct 22Approved by the Governor Josh ShapiroBecame Law
- Oct 21Presented to the GovernorTo Governor
- Oct 20Signed in Senate
- Oct 20Signed in House
- Oct 19Third consideration and final passagePassed Senate
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Committee vote (Appropriations): Re-Reported as Committed. Result: pass.Upper
- Oct 19Re-reported as committedMinor
- 2025
- Jun 25Re-referred to AppropriationsMinor
- Jun 25Second considerationMinor
- Jun 11First considerationMinor
- Vote recorded Committee vote (Health & Human Services): Reported as Committed. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 11Reported as committedMinor
- Feb 13Referred to Health & Human ServicesMinor
- Feb 4Third consideration and final passagePassed House
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Committee vote (Appropriations): Re-report Bill As Committed. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 4Re-reported as committedMinor
- Feb 3Re-committed to AppropriationsMinor
- Feb 3Second considerationMinor
- Jan 29Removed from table
- Vote recorded Committee vote (Health): Report Bill As Committed. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 29Laid on the table
- Jan 29First considerationMinor
- Jan 29Reported as committedMinor
- Jan 8Referred to HealthIntroduced
Healthcare