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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the adoption and implementation of a surgical smoke |
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evacuation system policy at certain health care facilities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 222, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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by adding Subchapter D to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER D. SURGICAL SMOKE EVACUATION SYSTEM POLICY AT CERTAIN |
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HEALTH CARE FACILITIES |
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Sec. 222.061. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Health care facility" means: |
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(A) a hospital licensed under Chapter 241, |
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including a hospital maintained and operated by this state; |
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(B) an ambulatory surgical center licensed under |
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Chapter 243; and |
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(C) a mental hospital licensed under Chapter 577. |
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(2) "Surgical smoke" means the gaseous by-product, |
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including surgical plume, smoke plume, bio-aerosols, |
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laser-generated airborne contaminants, or lung-damaging dust, |
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produced by an energy-generating device used in a room in which a |
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surgical procedure is performed. |
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(3) "Surgical smoke evacuation system" means |
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equipment designed to capture and neutralize surgical smoke at the |
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site of origin and before the surgical smoke makes contact with the |
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eyes or respiratory tract of any individual occupying a room in |
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which a surgical procedure is performed. |
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Sec. 222.062. SURGICAL SMOKE EVACUATION SYSTEM POLICY. A |
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health care facility shall adopt and implement a policy to prevent |
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an individual's exposure to surgical smoke through the use of a |
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surgical smoke evacuation system during each planned surgical |
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procedure that is likely to generate surgical smoke. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2024, a health care |
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facility shall adopt and implement the policy required by Section |
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222.062, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |