HB 1598 Illinois House · 104th Regular Session

OPERATING ROOM SAFETY ACT

Summary

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, 2027 shall meet specified educational, certification, or experiential requirements. Provides that nothing in the Act prohibits an individual from performing surgical technology services if the individual is acting within the scope of the individual's license or registration or is a student or intern under the direct supervision of a licensed health care provider.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Apr 2025

Committee Review

Jun 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Apr 14, 2025 Last action May 21, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Engrossed · 5 edits · Apr 10, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was updated to clarify definitions, adjust the compliance deadline from 2027 to 2028, and introduce new exemptions for rural and underserved facilities. These changes aim to ensure the new surgical technologist requirements are practical and accessible while protecting critical care areas.

Scope change

The bill now explicitly excludes critical access hospitals, rural emergency hospitals, and facilities located more than 60 miles from an accredited surgical technology program from the new certification requirements.

TIMELINE

The mandatory compliance date for hiring certified surgical technologists was delayed from January 1, 2027, to January 1, 2028.

SCOPE

New exemptions were added for health care facilities located in federal Health Professional Shortage Areas, Medically Underserved Areas, or those located more than 60 miles from an accredited program.

REQUIREMENT

The specific educational and certification requirements for surgical technologists were rewritten to specify the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting or the National Center for Competency Testing.

EXEMPTIONS

New language clarifies that the bill does not apply to temporary staff assigned by out-of-state staffing agencies.

New language explicitly confirms that licensed medical professionals (doctors, nurses, etc.) can continue performing surgery-related tasks within their existing scope of practice.

Floor votes · House Apr 10, 2025

How they voted

73–35

Passed · 10 other

Total votes 118

Apr 10, 2025

D Democratic78

70 Yea 8

89% Yea

R Republican40

3 Yea 35 Nay 2

87% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jun 2, 2025

Committee

Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments

upper

May 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As June 1, 2025

upper

May 9, 2025

Upper · Passed

Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As May 23, 2025

upper

Apr 29, 2025

Committee

Assigned to Licensed Activities

upper

Apr 14, 2025

Committee

Referred to Assignments

upper

Apr 14, 2025

Introduced

Arrive in Senate

upper

Apr 10, 2025

Amended

House Floor Amendment No. 1 Tabled

lower

Apr 10, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 073-035-000

lower

Apr 10, 2025

Lower · Passed

House Floor Amendment No. 2 Adopted

lower

Apr 9, 2025

Lower · Passed

House Floor Amendment No. 2 Recommends Be Adopted Health Care Licenses Committee; 010-005-000

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

House Floor Amendment No. 2 Rules Refers to Health Care Licenses Committee

lower

Mar 25, 2025

Committee

House Floor Amendment No. 2 Referred to Rules Committee

lower

Mar 25, 2025

Introduced

House Floor Amendment No. 2 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Barbara Hernandez

lower

Mar 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

House Floor Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Health Care Licenses Committee

lower

Mar 19, 2025

Committee

House Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee

lower

Mar 19, 2025

Introduced

House Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Barbara Hernandez

lower

Mar 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

Do Pass / Short Debate Health Care Licenses Committee; 008-005-000

lower

Feb 18, 2025

Committee

Assigned to Health Care Licenses Committee

lower

Jan 28, 2025

Committee

Referred to Rules Committee

lower

1 primary · 41 co-sponsors