HB 523 Virginia House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Military medical personnel; definition, expands program, report.

Summary
Department of Veterans Services; Department of Health Professions; military medical personnel; program; work group; report. Expands the definition of "military medical personnel" for the purposes of the program established by the Department of Veterans Services (the Department), in collaboration with the Department of Health Professions, that allows such military medical personnel to practice and perform certain delegated acts that constitute the practice of medicine or nursing to include other enlisted service members who have successfully completed appropriate technical training and any required certifications and who were discharged or released from such service under conditions other than dishonorable. Under current law, "military medical personnel" means an individual who has recently served as a medic in the United States Army, medical technician in the United States Air Force, medical personnel in the United States Space Force, or corpsman in the United States Navy or the United States Coast Guard.The bill allows such military medical personnel participating in the program to be supervised by any licensed practitioner, as defined in the bill. Current law allows such personnel to be supervised by a physician or podiatrist. The bill directs the Department of Veterans Services to convene a work group to provide guidance on the implementation and further development of the Military Medics and Corpsmen program and to report its findings to the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2026.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Signed Apr 13, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

Health Professions Subcommittee Substitute Chaptered · 5 edits
MODERATE
This bill finalizes the 'Military Medics and Corpsmen' (MMAC) program, allowing recently discharged military medical personnel to practice under the supervision of licensed physicians or podiatrists. It establishes a new stakeholder work group to develop pathways for recognizing military training in civilian healthcare and grants academic credit for military experience.
Scope change
The bill transitions from a substitute bill to a chaptered act, making the MMAC program and related work group requirements official law.
TIMELINE

Establishes a deadline of November 1, 2026, for the new stakeholder work group to submit its report on military training recognition and program development.

REQUIREMENT

Creates a mandatory stakeholder work group including representatives from healthcare systems, colleges, and professional associations to guide the MMAC program's future.

DEFINITION

Refines the definition of 'Military medical personnel' to explicitly include Space Force medical personnel alongside Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard members.

ELIGIBILITY

Adds a provision requiring the Department of Veterans Services to assist veterans who do not meet the strict MMAC definition in finding healthcare employment.

TECHNICAL

Updates formatting and section numbering to reflect the bill's enactment as Chapter 625 of the 2026 Session.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 6, 2026 · House of Delegates Feb 17, 2026

How they voted

380
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 39
Mar 6, 2026
D Democratic20
20 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican19
18 Yea 1
94% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
31
Key actions
10
Committee
7
Apr 13, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 625 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive
Mar 14, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 14, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 14, 2026
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB523ER)
lower
Mar 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
upper
Mar 6, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
upper
Mar 5, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Education and Health (15-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 27, 2026
Committee
Assigned Education sub: Health Professions
upper
Feb 18, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Education and Health
upper
Feb 17, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House (97-Y 0-N 0-A)
lower
Feb 12, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from Health and Human Services with substitute (21-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 10, 2026
Lower · Passed
House subcommittee offered
lower
Jan 21, 2026
Committee
Assigned sub: Health Professions
lower
Jan 13, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services
lower
1 primary · 5 co-sponsors

Sponsors