H.B. No. 513 proposes the addition of a new subchapter to the Health and Safety Code, specifically focusing on the adoption and implementation of a surgical smoke evacuation system policy in certain health care facilities, including hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers. The bill defines key terms such as "surgical smoke," which refers to the gaseous by-products produced during surgical procedures, and "surgical smoke evacuation system," which encompasses equipment designed to capture and filter this smoke to protect individuals in the operating room.

Under the new policy, health care facilities are required to adopt measures to mitigate exposure to surgical smoke during planned surgical procedures likely to generate such smoke. Facilities must implement this policy by January 1, 2026, and they are permitted to choose any evacuation system that ensures the safety of patients and health care providers based on the specific surgical techniques used. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

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