This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Sponsor
Health & Human Services Committee ; Woodson ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Campbell ; Eskamani
Last action
2026-03-13
Official status
Senate - Died in Rules
Effective date
2026-07-01
Plain English Breakdown
Although the bill passed both chambers, official metadata indicates it 'Died in Rules' on March 13, 2026. This means the law described may not have become effective despite having a listed effective date of July 1, 2026.
Protection from Surgical Smoke
This law requires hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to create policies for using smoke evacuation systems or other measures when there is a substantial risk of exposure to harmful gas created during surgeries.
What This Bill Does
Creates a new state rule requiring protection from surgical smoke in licensed facilities.
Defines 'surgical smoke' as the gaseous byproduct produced by energy-generating devices like lasers and electrosurgical tools, including terms such as surgical plume or bio-aerosols.
Defines 'smoke evacuation system' as equipment that captures and filters this gas before it reaches people's eyes or lungs.
Requires licensed facilities to adopt policies using these systems or other appropriate measures by January 1, 2027.
Who It Names or Affects
Licensed hospitals
Ambulatory surgical centers
Terms To Know
Smoke evacuation system
Equipment that effectively captures and filters surgical smoke before it touches the eyes or respiratory tracts of people in the room.
Surgical smoke
The gaseous byproduct made by energy-generating devices like lasers, which includes surgical plume, bio-aerosols, and lung-damaging dust.
Limits and Unknowns
Policies must be adopted by January 1, 2027.
The law requires action only when there is a substantial likelihood of risk to patients and personnel but does not define exactly what level of risk triggers this requirement.
Amendments
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
Plain English: This amendment creates a new Florida law requiring medical facilities to have policies that stop people from breathing in harmful surgical smoke by January 2027.
It defines 'surgical smoke' as the gas and dust created when doctors use lasers or electric tools during surgery.
It requires every licensed medical facility to create rules for using special equipment that captures this smoke before it reaches people's eyes or lungs.
The new law will officially start on July 1, 2026.
The text does not list specific penalties if a facility fails to follow the rules.
It is unclear exactly what 'any other appropriate measure' means besides using smoke evacuation systems.
Bill History
2026-03-13Senate
• Died in Rules
2026-03-05House
• Read 2nd time • Added to Third Reading Calendar • Read 3rd time • CS passed; YEAS 107, NAYS 2
2026-03-05Senate
• In Messages • Referred to Rules • Received
2026-03-02House
• Bill referred to House Calendar • Added to Second Reading Calendar • Bill added to Special Order Calendar (3/5/2026)
2026-02-26House
• Favorable with CS by Health & Human Services Committee • Reported out of Health & Human Services Committee • Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a) • CS Filed • 1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
2026-02-24House
• Added to Health & Human Services Committee agenda
2026-01-13House
• 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
2025-12-03House
• Reported out of Health Care Facilities & Systems Subcommittee • Now in Health & Human Services Committee
2025-12-02House
• Favorable by Health Care Facilities & Systems Subcommittee
2025-11-21House
• Added to Health Care Facilities & Systems Subcommittee agenda
2025-10-14House
• Referred to Health Care Facilities & Systems Subcommittee • Referred to Health & Human Services Committee • Now in Health Care Facilities & Systems Subcommittee
2025-10-07House
• Filed
Official Summary Text
Protection from Surgical Smoke ; Defines "smoke evacuation system" & "surgical smoke"; requires hospitals & ambulatory surgical centers to, by specified date, adopt & implement policies requiring use of smoke evacuation systems or any other appropriate measure under certain circumstances.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
CS/HB 93 2026
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb93-01-c1
Page 1 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to protection from surgical smoke; 2
creating s. 395.1013, F.S.; defining the terms "smoke 3
evacuation system" and "surgical smoke"; requiring 4
hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to, by a 5
specified date, adopt and implement policies requiring 6
the use of smoke evacuation systems or any other 7
appropriate measure under certain circumstances; 8
providing an effective date. 9
10
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11
12
Section 1. Section 395.1013, Florida Statutes, is created 13
to read: 14
395.1013 Smoke evacuation systems required.— 15
(1) As used in this section, the term: 16
(a) "Smoke evacuation system" means equipment that 17
effectively captures and filters surgical smoke before the smoke 18
makes contact with the eyes or respiratory tracts of occupants 19
in the room. 20
(b) "Surgical smoke" means the gaseous byproduct produced 21
by energy-generating devices such as lasers and electrosurgical 22
devices. The term includes, but is not limited to, surgical 23
plume, smoke plume, bio-aerosols, laser-generated airborne 24
contaminants, and lung-damaging dust. 25
CS/HB 93 2026
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb93-01-c1
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
(2) By January 1, 2027, each licensed facility shall adopt 26
and implement policies to prevent exposure to surgical smoke, 27
where there is a substantial likelihood of risk to patients and 28
personnel, by using a smoke evacuation system or any other 29
appropriate measure. 30
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 31