An Act to reduce infection rate post surgery

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Shirley Arriaga

Requires masks for staff and visitors in surgical ICUs of Commonwealth hospitals to curb post-surgical infections, with signage and regulations by the Health Policy Commission.

Overview

This proposed Massachusetts bill would add a new requirement to reduce post-surgical infection risk in hospital settings by establishing mask use in surgical intensive care units (SICUs). It introduces a specific definition for SICUs and places implementation responsibilities with the Health Policy Commission.

Key Provisions

New definition: Inserts a new Section 231A defining “surgical intensive care unit” as an intensive care unit, as defined by 105 CMR 130.020, within a hospital operated by the Commonwealth that specializes in post-surgical care.

Mask requirement: In all SICUs, hospital staff and visitors must wear medical or surgical masks when in rooms or areas where a patient is present.

Signage: Hospitals must post conspicuous signage informing visitors of the mask requirement.

Regulatory authority: The Health Policy Commission shall promulgate any regulations necessary to implement the section.

Affected Parties and Settings

Hospitals and facilities: Commonwealth-operated hospitals with SICUs are subject to the new policy.

Staff and visitors: All personnel and visitors in SICUs must comply with the mask requirement when a patient is present.

Patients: Expected benefit is a reduction in infection rates post-surgery in SICU settings.

Implementation and Timeline

Regulatory framework: The bill requires the Health Policy Commission to develop and issue regulations to implement the new section.

Dates: The text inserted into Chapter 111 takes effect through final regulations; no explicit implementation date is provided in the bill itself. Implementation hinges on the Commission’s regulatory timeline.

Legislative and Status Details

Bill number and sponsor: House Docket No. 602, presented by Rep. Shirley B. Arriaga (Chicopee).

Original filing: The bill text indicates filing in January 2025 as House No. 4048 (One Hundred Ninety-Fourth General Court, 2025-2026).

Current status: Classified as a proposed bill in the 2025-2026 session. The user-provided “Introduced” date (November 29, 2025) differs from the document’s filing date; the official text shows a filing in January 2025.

Potential Impacts and Considerations

The policy could contribute to lower post-surgical infection rates in SICUs by reducing exposure to respiratory pathogens.

Hospitals may need to adjust PPE inventories and visitor management protocols to ensure compliance and signage visibility.

Implementation will depend on timely regulatory action by the Health Policy Commission and any accompanying guidelines.

Bill