# Delaware HB 173: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SURGICAL SMOKE.

Delaware HB 173, AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SURGICAL SMOKE., is a 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026) House bill sponsored by Melissa Minor-Brown (Democratic); status failed, last action 2025-08-25 (HS 1 for HB 173 - Signed by Governor); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HB173-153
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Delaware HB 173
- State: Delaware
- Session: 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026)
- Title: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SURGICAL SMOKE.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-05-20
- Last action: 2025-08-25, HS 1 for HB 173 - Signed by Governor
- Sponsor: Melissa Minor-Brown (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 5
- Touches household money: yes
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Hospitals must use smoke evacuation in surgery: mixed, low. The law requires hospitals and freestanding surgical centers to use a smoke evacuation system during any surgery likely to create surgical smoke. A smoke evacuation system captures and filters the smoke at the source before it reaches eyes or lungs. Surgical smoke includes plume, bio-aerosols, lase…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Melissa Minor-Brown (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Daniel Cruce (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Spiros Mantzavinos (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Edward S. Osienski (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Marie Pinkney (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Bryan Townsend (Democratic), Senate

## Actions (8)

- 2025-08-25: HS 1 for HB 173 - Signed by Governor (Governor)
- 2025-06-30: HS 1 for HB 173 - Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES (Senate)
- 2025-06-30: HS 1 for HB 173 - Reported Out of Committee (Executive) in Senate with 3 Favorable, 4 On Its Merits (Senate)
- 2025-06-26: HS 1 for HB 173 - Assigned to Executive Committee in Senate (Senate)
- 2025-06-26: HS 1 for HB 173 - Passed By House. Votes: 40 YES 1 VACANT (House)
- 2025-06-24: HS 1 for HB 173 - Reported Out of Committee (Health & Human Development) in House with 3 Favorable, 8 On Its Merits (House)
- 2025-06-24: Substituted in House by HS 1 for HB 173 (House)
- 2025-05-20: Introduced and Assigned to Health & Human Development Committee in House (House)

## Bill text

- Current, 2025-05-20: [HTML](https://legis.delaware.gov/json/BillDetail/GenerateHtmlDocument?legislationId=142338&legislationTypeId=1&docTypeId=2)

## Related bills

- HS 1 for HB 449: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DIETITIAN/NUTRITIONIST LICENSURE ACT. (passed house)
- HB 357: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 10 AND 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DUTY TO SUPPORT POOR PERSONS. (signed)
- SB 231: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS. (vetoed)
- SB 279: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL-BASED OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS. (vetoed)
- HB 393: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 26 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PROTECTIONS FOR PUBLIC UTILITY CONSUMERS. (vetoed)
- HB 356: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PFAS IN FIREFIGHTING FOAM AND EQUIPMENT. (failed)

## Sources
- [Current (HTML)](https://legis.delaware.gov/json/BillDetail/GenerateHtmlDocument?legislationId=142338&legislationTypeId=1&docTypeId=2)

## Related
- [HS 1 for HB 449: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DIETITIAN/NUTRITI…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HS1FORHB449-153)
- [HB 357: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 10 AND 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DUTY TO S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HB357-153)
- [SB 231: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-SB231-153)
- [SB 279: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL-BASED OCCUPATI…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-SB279-153)
- [HB 393: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 26 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PROTECTIONS FOR PUBLI…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HB393-153)
- [HB 356: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PFAS IN FIREFIGHTING…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HB356-153)
- [Delaware bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/delaware/bills)
- [Delaware state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/delaware)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HB173-153 (as of 2026-10-12).