RELATING TO HOSPITALS.

Healthcare

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: TAKAYAMA, KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY, KILA, LAMOSAO, MARTEN, PERRUSO, TAM, TODD
Last action: 2026-02-05
Official status: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Woodson excused (1).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date specified in the official summary (July 1, 3000) appears to be an error and needs clarification.

Hospitals Must Prevent Surgical Smoke Exposure

This bill requires hospitals with operating rooms to adopt policies using smoke evacuation systems to prevent exposure to surgical smoke.

What This Bill Does

Requires any hospital licensed by the Department of Health that has an operating room to adopt and implement policies to prevent exposure to surgical smoke.
Defines 'smoke evacuation system' as equipment designed to capture, filter, and remove surgical smoke at its source.

Who It Names or Affects

Hospitals with operating rooms licensed by the Department of Health
Healthcare professionals working in operating rooms

Terms To Know

Surgical smoke evacuation system: Equipment used to capture, filter, and remove surgical smoke at its source.
Operating room: A sterile environment in a hospital where surgeries are performed.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the exact penalties for non-compliance.
It is unclear how compliance will be enforced beyond onsite inspections and complaint responses.
The effective date specified in the official summary (July 1, 3000) appears to be an error.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment requires hospitals in Hawaii to adopt policies by July 1, 2027, to prevent exposure to surgical smoke using smoke evacuation systems or other appropriate measures.

Hospitals licensed by the Department of Health that have operating rooms must implement policies to protect staff and patients from harmful chemicals produced during surgeries.
The amendment specifies that hospitals must use smoke evacuation systems or other methods to remove surgical smoke at its source.

The effective date mentioned (July 1, 3000) seems incorrect and likely needs correction in the final bill text.

Bill History

2026-02-05 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Woodson excused (1).
2026-02-05 H
Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 31-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.
2026-01-30 H
The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Amato, Hartsfield, Marten, Olds, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-01-26 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HLT on Friday, 01-30-26 10:30AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to HLT, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 1
2025-01-16 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-15 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO HOSPITALS.
DOH; Hospitals; Surgical Smoke; Exposure Prevention; Operating Rooms; Policies
Requires any hospital licensed by the Department of Health that has an operating room to adopt and implement policies to prevent exposure to surgical smoke. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB218

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

218

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to Hospitals
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that surgical smoke refers to the vapor inside an operating
room that is created during a surgical procedure.
�
Tools used during a surgical procedure,
including lasers or electrosurgical devices, produce aerosolized chemicals that
can be harmful to inhale, according to the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health.
�
Surgical smoke may
contain chemicals such as benzene and formaldehyde.
�
Studies report that exposure to these
chemicals can produce a range of debilitating effects, including migraines,
nausea, and irritation of the eyes or nose.

����
The legislature further finds that data
suggests that each year roughly five hundred thousand health care professionals
are exposed to hazardous chemicals produced during surgical operations.
�
Surgical smoke affects health care workers
such as surgeons, nurses, and anesthesiologists, exposing them to respiratory
issues and long-term health risks.
�

Patients and support staff in health care facilities may also be
affected by inhalation.
�
As a result,
eighteen states have enacted surgical smoke evacuation mandate laws, including
Minnesota, Virginia, and West Virginia.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
require any hospital with an operating room licensed by the department of
health to adopt and implement policies to prevent exposure to surgical smoke.

����
SECTION
2.
�
Chapter 321, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read
as follows:

����
"
�321-

�
Surgical smoke evacuation system;
definitions.
�
(a)
�
No later than July 1, 2026, any hospital with
an operating room licensed pursuant to section 321-14.5 shall adopt and
implement policies to prevent exposure to surgical smoke by using a smoke
evacuation system for each procedure that generates surgical smoke.
�
The department shall ensure compliance with
this section during any onsite inspection and in response to any complaint
received relating to a violation of this section.

����
(b)
�
For the purposes of this section:

����
"Smoke
evacuation system" means smoke evacuation equipment and technologies
designed to capture, filter, and remove surgical smoke at the site of origin
and to prevent surgical smoke from making ocular contact or contact with a
person's respiratory tract.

����
"Surgical
smoke" means the surgical plume that is generated from the use of an
energy-generating surgical device, including a smoke plume, bio-aerosol,
laser-generated airborne contaminant, and lung-damaging dust.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�

New statutory material is underscored.

����
SECTION 4.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DOH;
Hospitals; Surgical Smoke; Smoke Evacuation System

Description:

Requires
any hospital with an operating room licensed by the Department of Health to
adopt and implement policies to prevent exposure to surgical smoke.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.