2020 Legislative Recap – Surgical Smoke

2020 saw a surge in surgical smoke evacuation legislation, with AORN and our members very busy working on surgical smoke evacuation legislation in ten states across the country. In total, eight states – Oregon, Utah, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Connecticut - had legislation introduced before state legislatures adjourned. Additionally, AORN is working in two other states – Maryland and New Jersey – to lay the groundwork for policy change and legislation.

In Oregon, instead of advancing the legislation, the legislature directed AORN and other stakeholders to work on education and awareness in 2020. In both Utah and Tennessee, surgical smoke evacuation legislation was forwarded to interim summer study sessions for legislators to learn more about the issue in depth. In Kentucky, SB 91 was voted unanimously out of the Kentucky Senate but it was not taken up by the House Health and Family Services Committee. AORN worked closely with the Kentucky Nurses Association on this bill and will continue to work with them next year. In Georgia, AORN worked with the Georgia Nurses Association to advocate for SB 347 which did not advance before the legislature adjourned abruptly.

In Iowa, HSB 510 was introduced in January but was not advanced by the subcommittee.  Illinois SB 3753 was introduced in February but did not make it out of the Assignments Committee prior to deadline and the General Assembly suspending operations. Finally, a bill was introduced this year in the Connecticut Joint Public Health Committee but did not advance before the General Assembly adjourned.

AORN will be tracking surgical smoke evacuation legislation for summer study, in particular in Tennessee and Utah. At this time, we anticipate that these interim sessions may be pushed back later into this year.

2021

AORN expects to be even busier next year working on surgical smoke evacuation legislation with the reintroduction of 2020 legislation and more states taking up the issue in 2021. We are working to lay the groundwork for legislation in 2021 in even more states next year.

AORN government affairs staff will be hosting state calls this summer to discuss legislative opportunities in 2021 with you and your colleagues. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for an email from Jennifer Pennock to schedule a time to talk about making your state the next one to go surgical smoke-free.