HB4490 - 104th General Assembly (2025-2026)
OPERATING ROOM SAFETY ACT
Last Action
1/20/2026 - House: Referred to Rules Committee
Statutes Amended In Order of Appearance
Synopsis As Introduced
Creates the Operating Room Patient Safety Act. Provides that each surgical technologist hired or contracted by a health care facility on or after January 1, 2028 shall meet specified educational, certification, or experiential requirements. Provides that health care facilities located in a Health Professional Shortage Area or Medically Underserved Area, as determined by the federal government, shall be exempt as provided but shall have a hiring preference for surgical technologists who graduated from nationally accredited surgical technology programs and are certified through the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting or the National Center for Competency Testing. Provides that nothing in the Act prohibits a person licensed in the State under any other Act from engaging in the practice for which the person is licensed, including, but not limited to, a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches, a physician assistant, an advanced practice registered nurse, or a nurse performing surgery-related tasks within the scope of the nurse's license or registration; or a student or intern from performing surgical technology services under direct supervision, as defined in the Registered Surgical Assistant and Registered Surgical Technologist Title Protection Act.
Actions
| Date | Chamber | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 1/20/2026 | House | Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Barbara Hernandez |
| 1/20/2026 | House | First Reading |
| 1/20/2026 | House | Referred to Rules Committee |
| 2/02/2026 | House | Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Rick Ryan |
| 2/11/2026 | House | Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Michael Crawford |
| 2/17/2026 | House | Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Dagmara Avelar |
| 2/18/2026 | House | Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Janet Yang Rohr |
| 2/18/2026 | House | Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Theresa Mah |
| 2/18/2026 | House | Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit |
| 2/18/2026 | House | Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Maura Hirschauer |
| 2/18/2026 | House | Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Mary Gill |
| 2/18/2026 | House | Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Katie Stuart |
| 2/18/2026 | House | Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Michelle Mussman |