An act TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR SURGICAL SMOKE 10 EVACUATION IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES LICENSED IN THIS 11 STATE, the official text

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.

1 State of Arkansas            A Bill
2 95th General Assembly

3 Regular Session, 2025                                       HOUSE BILL 1718

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5 By: Representative Gramlich

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8                              For An Act To Be Entitled

9   AN ACT TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR SURGICAL SMOKE

10  EVACUATION IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES LICENSED IN THIS

11  STATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

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14                                Subtitle

15                       TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR SURGICAL

16                       SMOKE EVACUATION IN HEALTHCARE

17                       FACILITIES LICENSED IN THIS STATE.

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19 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:

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21  SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 20, Chapter 9, Subchapter 2, is amended

22 to add an additional section to read as follows:

23  20-9-225. Standards for surgical smoke evacuation -- Definitions.

24  (a) As used in this section:

25  (1) "Energy-generating device" means a tool that performs a

26 surgical function using heat, laser, electricity, or other form of energy;

27  (2)(A) "Smoke evacuation system" means a smoke evacuator, laser

28 plume evacuator, or local exhaust ventilator that effectively captures and

29 neutralizes surgical smoke at the site of origin and before the surgical

30 smoke can make ocular contact or contact with the respiratory tract of

31 occupants of the room.

32                       (B) "Smoke evacuation system" is not required to be

33 interconnected to a surgical ventilation system or medical gas system; and

34  (3) "Surgical smoke" means the gaseous by-product produced by

35 energy-generating devices, including surgical plume, smoke plume, bio-

36 aerosols, laser-generated airborne contaminants, or lung-damaging dust.

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                                                               HB1718

1   (b) Any healthcare facility licensed by the Department of Health that

2 uses energy-generating devices shall use a smoke evacuation system during any

3 surgical procedure involving an energy-generating device that is likely to

4 produce surgical smoke.

5   (c) The State Board of Health and the department may take any action

6 under � 20-9-215 necessary for a violation of this section.

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