Healthcare

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 1452: Medicaid; expedited review process for service authorization requests, report.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; expedited review process for Medicaid service authorization requests; report. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to (i) implement expedited review of Medicaid service authorization requests consistent with applicable federal law and (ii) annually transmit the prior authorization report required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to the Chairs of the House Committees on Appropriations and Health and Human Services and the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and Education and Health.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes expedited Medicaid review for life-sustaining treatments to prevent health risks, improving patient access and protecting health rights.95% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 1489: Hospitals; reports of threats or acts of violence against health care providers.

Hospitals; reports of threats or acts of violence against health care providers; expansion of reporting requirements. Expands the reporting requirements for incidents of workplace violence in hospitals with an emergency department by requiring additional descriptors of incidents, requiring hospitals to report collected data to additional parties, and directing the Department of Health to publish a report containing an annual summary of such data. The bill directs the Board of Health to promulgate regulations implementing the provisions of the bill by January 1, 2027, and directs the Department of Health to publish its first report by December 31, 2027.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands hospital reporting requirements for violence against healthcare providers, strengthening safety protocols and protecting healthcare workers within the healthcare system.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands workplace violence reporting requirements for hospitals, directly enhancing healthcare worker safety protections under Labor & Employment topic.92% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 1522: Nursing homes and assisted living facilities; licensure, automated external defibrillators.

Nursing homes and assisted living facilities; licensure; automated external defibrillators. Requires nursing homes and assisted living facilities to have and maintain an automated external defibrillator and have staff trained to use such automated external defibrillator.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires nursing homes to maintain AEDs and train staff, improving emergency cardiac care access and patient safety in healthcare facilities.90% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 469: Autism Competencies Checklist; positive behavior support facilitators, training.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; Autism Competencies Checklist; positive behavior support facilitators; training. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to amend its regulations relating to the Autism Competencies Checklist to allow positive behavior support facilitators to conduct training sessions on such competencies for direct support professionals and direct support professional supervisors who provide support for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareDirects DMAS to allow positive behavior support facilitators to train professionals on autism competencies, enhancing care quality for developmental disabilities within healthcare services.90% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 325: Fire Programs, Department of; development of mental health awareness training.

Department of Fire Programs; mental health awareness training. Provides that the Department of Fire Programs shall develop a standardized, two-hour virtual asynchronous training program on mental health awareness tailored to firefighters that includes training on each subject matter set forth in current law. The bill provides the option for each fire department to use such standardized training program as guidance in developing its own mental health awareness training for its personnel. This bill is identical to SB 140.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates mental health awareness training for fire personnel, directly supporting mental health services within first responder programs.95% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 1292: Temporary detention; certified evaluators, sunset extended.

Temporary detention; certified evaluators; sunset extended. Extends from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2027, the sunset date on the current provisions of law authorizing hospitals with a psychiatric emergency department located in the City of Hampton to employ certain trained individuals to perform evaluations to determine whether a person meets the criteria for temporary detention for behavioral health treatment. The current law also requires participating hospitals with psychiatric emergency departments in the City of Hampton to submit monthly and annual reports on temporary detentions and crisis evaluations. This bill is identical to SB 735.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill preserves hospital access to certified evaluators for behavioral health temporary detention, sustaining mental health emergency services without restrictions.92% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 37: Developmental disability waivers; financial eligibility standards, sunset repeal.

Developmental disability waivers; financial eligibility standards; sunset repeal. Repeals the July 1, 2026, sunset on provisions directing the Department of Medical Assistance Services to disregard Social Security Disability Insurance income above the maximum monthly Supplemental Security Income when determining financial eligibility for developmental disability waivers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRepeals sunset on waiver eligibility rule, maintaining access to developmental disability services by excluding excess SSDI income from financial calculations.90% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 2, 2026

HB 195: Programs for at-risk students; permissible uses of funding.

Programs for at-risk students; permissible uses of funding. Includes as covered programs that are eligible for funding under the At-Risk Program initiatives to support both the physical and mental health of students in public schools, including the hiring of licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and advanced practice registered nurses. This bill is a recommendation of the School Health Services Committee and is identical to SB 33.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds health programs for at-risk students in public schools, including hiring nurses, directly enhancing educational access and student well-being through targeted support.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds school health programs including mental health services and nurse staffing, directly advancing student healthcare access through public school initiatives.95% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 2, 2026

HB 38: Public schools; mental health awareness training and instruction, requirements.

Public schools; mental health awareness training and instruction; requirements. Requires each teacher and other relevant personnel, as determined by the applicable school board, employed on a full-time basis to complete mental health awareness training that addresses the needs of youth populations that are at a high risk of experiencing mental health challenges and disorders in accordance with evidence-based best practices developed by the American Psychological Association. Current law requires such teachers and personnel to complete mental health awareness training but does not contain any requirements relating to the specific topics such training must address. The bill prohibits any of its provisions or any policy adopted in accordance with its provisions from being construed to permit biased or discriminatory treatment of any youth population deemed to be at a high risk of experiencing mental health challenges and disorders.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates mental health training for teachers addressing youth mental health needs, advancing student well-being programs in schools per APA best practices.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates mental health awareness training for school staff addressing youth mental health challenges, directly supporting mental health services through evidence-based practices.95% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Mar 31, 2026

HB 220: Health insurance; tobacco surcharge.

Health insurance; tobacco surcharge. Eliminates the authority of a health carrier to vary its premium rates based on tobacco use. Under current law, a health carrier may charge premium rates up to 1.5 times higher for a tobacco user than for a nonuser. The provisions of the bill apply to health benefit plans providing individual or small group health insurance coverage entered into, amended, extended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEliminates tobacco-based premium surcharges, making health insurance more accessible and affordable for tobacco users by removing a cost barrier.90% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent