WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

HB 1718

Modifies provisions relating to limitations on awards for certain liability claims against public entities

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Dave Hinman

Arkansas requires licensed healthcare facilities to use smoke-evacuation systems during surgeries likely to generate surgical smoke, strengthening worker and patient safety.

Public Hearing Scheduled (S) - Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 12:00 p.m., Senate Committee Room 1 - 1st Floor
#civilpenalties #civilprocedure #insurance-general #liability
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 1718

Summary — HB 1718

Note on source material and scope
- The documents provided contain conflicting material under the same bill number. The bill header references bonds for improvements at Alcorn State University, but the legislative text primarily contains (1) an Arkansas bill establishing standards for surgical smoke evacuation in licensed healthcare facilities and (2) an Illinois bill amending commercial driver’s license (CDL) exemptions for snow‑removal drivers. This summary highlights the substantive provisions found in those texts, notes affected parties, enforcement, and the bill’s procedural status. Clarification from the bill sponsor or legislature would be required to resolve the contradictory titles and jurisdictions.

Purpose

  • Arkansas text: To establish minimum standards requiring use of smoke evacuation systems during surgical procedures that generate surgical smoke in healthcare facilities licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health.
  • Illinois text: To broaden a CDL waiver for township/road district snow‑removal employees by increasing the population threshold from 3,000 to 10,000.

Key provisions — Arkansas (primary legislative text)

  • Adds a new section to Arkansas Code (proposed § 20-9-225) titled “Standards for surgical smoke evacuation.”
  • Definitions included:
    • “Energy‑generating device”: tools using heat, laser, electricity, or other energy in surgery.
    • “Smoke evacuation system”: smoke evacuator, laser plume evacuator, or local exhaust ventilator that captures and neutralizes surgical smoke at its origin; need not be interconnected to surgical ventilation or medical gas systems.
    • “Surgical smoke”: gaseous by‑product from energy‑generating devices (plume, bio‑aerosols, laser contaminants, etc.).
  • Requirement: Any healthcare facility licensed by the Department of Health that uses energy‑generating devices must use a smoke evacuation system during any surgical procedure likely to produce surgical smoke.
  • Enforcement: The State Board of Health and Department of Health may take actions authorized under § 20‑9‑215 for violations of the new section.
  • No explicit funding, compliance deadlines, or penalty schedule specified in the text provided.

Key provisions — Illinois (secondary text)

  • Amends Illinois Vehicle Code § 6‑507 to change a CDL waiver provision so that an employee of a township or road district with population less than 10,000 (previously 3,000) operating within district boundaries to remove snow/ice may be waived from CDL/CLP requirements under certain emergency conditions.

Who would be affected

  • Arkansas: Licensed healthcare facilities (hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, clinics) that use energy‑generating surgical devices; surgical teams and operating room staff; patients exposed to surgical smoke; manufacturers/suppliers of smoke evacuation equipment.
  • Illinois: Township and road district employees in jurisdictions with population under 10,000 performing snow‑removal duties; local governments; CDL regulatory enforcement bodies.

Enforcement, fiscal, and implementation notes

  • Enforcement delegated to State Board of Health/Dept. of Health (Arkansas) per existing authority (§ 20‑9‑215).
  • No appropriation or fiscal note in the provided text; costs would likely include purchase/maintenance of smoke evacuation equipment and staff training for healthcare facilities.
  • No effective date or phased compliance timeline included in the provided text.

Procedural history & status

  • Mixed record entries from both states are included. Specific actions recorded include committee referrals, hearings, and votes in March–April 2025. The summary status provided at top: Died In Committee (final entry: “Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment” / “Died In Committee”).
  • Companion bill noted: SB 708.

If you want, I can:
- Produce a clean, state‑specific summary (Arkansas or Illinois) after you confirm which state's HB 1718 you want summarized, or
- Draft a short memo identifying the editorial/clerical inconsistencies for legislative staff to resolve.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.