Healthcare

vetoed · Virginia · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 173: Weapons; possession prohibited in hospital that provides mental health or developmental services.

Weapons; possession prohibited in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services; penalty. Makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to knowingly and intentionally possess in the building of any hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services in the Commonwealth, including an emergency department or other facility rendering emergency medical care, a (i) firearm, (ii) knife with a blade over three and one-half inches, or (iii) other dangerous weapon, including explosives and stun weapons. The bill also provides that notice of such prohibitions shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance of any hospital and that no person shall be convicted of the offense if such notice is not posted, unless such person had actual notice of the prohibitions. The bill provides that such firearm, knife, explosive, or weapon shall be subject to seizure by a law-enforcement officer and forfeited to the Commonwealth and specifies certain exceptions to the prohibition. This bill is identical to HB 229.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits weapons in mental health hospitals, enhancing safety for patients and staff in mental health facilities, directly protecting mental health services.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Mental Health

Track

signed · Virginia · Senate Mar 31, 2026

SB 405: Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority; administration of nursing scholarships.

Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority; administration of nursing scholarships. Grants the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority the authority to administer scholarships related to nursing and to promulgate regulations exempt from the requirements of the Administrative Process Act as may be necessary to carry out the administration of nursing scholarship and loan programs. Under current law, the Board of Health is the administrative authority for such scholarships and the Commissioner of Health serves as the fiscal agent for the Board in the administration of some scholarship funds. The bill directs the Authority to establish an annual reporting schedule requiring submission of health workforce data, requires the Authority to establish and provide oversight and strategic guidance to the Virginia Nursing Workforce Center, and grants the Authority the authority to evaluate health workforce programs administered or supported by the Commonwealth. The bill directs the Virginia Nursing Workforce Center to establish an advisory board to provide it with strategic oversight and guidance. This bill is identical to HB 815.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAdministers nursing scholarships, providing funding for higher education in health fields, directly supporting educational access and workforce development within higher education.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAdministers nursing scholarships to develop healthcare workforce, directly funding provider training and strengthening nursing workforce capacity.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid Healthcare Workforce

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 18, 2026

HB 348: Residential Well Water Testing and Treatment Program and Fund; established.

Residential Well Water Testing and Treatment Program and Fund. Directs the State Board of Health to adopt regulations to utilize point-of-use or point-of-entry drinking water treatment or filtration systems to remove or significantly reduce concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorooctane sulfonate, and other established and emerging contaminants of concern that meet or exceed maximum contaminant levels or health advisory levels for the same contaminant adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or, in the in the absence of an EPA health advisory for such contaminant, a contaminant level determined by the Department of Health's Office of Drinking Water. The bill also establishes the Residential Well Water Testing and Treatment Program and Program Fund to allow the Department to test and treat contaminated drinking water through grants for the use of eligible treatment or filtration systems in private residential wells. This bill is a recommendation of the State Water Commission.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill establishes program to remove PFAS contaminants from well water, directly addressing pollution control and water protection per EPA standards.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes program to address water contaminants meeting health advisory levels, directly protecting public health through state regulation of drinking water safety.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Drinking Water Substance Abuse

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signed · Virginia · Senate Mar 31, 2026

SB 630: 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. This bill is identical to HB 220.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEliminates tobacco surcharge, preventing higher premiums for users and improving insurance affordability/access for all enrollees.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 18, 2026

HB 668: Mental health service providers; use of artificial intelligence system, civil penalty.

Use of artificial intelligence system by mental health service providers; civil penalty. Permits the use of an artificial intelligence system by mental health service providers for administrative support and supplementary support, as those terms are defined in the bill, and prohibits the use of an artificial intelligence system to provide therapy or counseling services without a mental health service provider. The bill specifies that records kept by mental health service providers must comply with health records privacy requirements; creates an exception for religious counseling, peer support, or self-help materials and educational resources; and establishes a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 for violations of the statute.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits AI from replacing human therapy in mental health services, ensuring provider oversight and patient safety per bill's explicit language.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Tags Artificial Intelligence

Track

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 18, 2026

HB 335: Independent Pharmacy Access and Resilience Pilot Program; established, report, sunset.

Independent Pharmacy Access and Resilience Pilot Program; report; sunset. Establishes the Independent Pharmacy Access and Resilience Pilot Program in the Department of Health to strengthen and stabilize access to pharmacy services in medically underserved communities and communities at heightened risk of pharmacy closure. The Program is established as a pilot program with an expiration date of July 1, 2030, and participation is limited to 12 independent pharmacies meeting certain criteria outlined in the bill. The bill directs the Department to submit to the Governor and General Assembly an interim report with evaluations of participating pharmacies no later than November 1, 2028, and a final comprehensive evaluation no later than November 1, 2029, in order for the General Assembly to determine whether to continue, modify, expand, or terminate the Program.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes a pilot program to strengthen pharmacy access in underserved communities, directly improving healthcare access and stabilizing services per healthcare topic indicators.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

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passed · Virginia · House of Delegates Mar 3, 2026

HB 560: Administrative Process Act; appeals of case decisions regarding benefits sought, limitations.

Administrative Process Act; exemptions; limitations; appeals of case decisions regarding benefits sought. Specifies that the Administrative Process Act applies to case decisions regarding the grant or denial, including determinations of eligibility and approved levels of service, of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, general relief, auxiliary grants, or state-local hospitalization. The bill also removes provisions limiting review of case decisions to ascertaining whether there was evidence in the agency record to support the case decision of the agency.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes administrative appeals process for Medicaid benefit decisions, ensuring access to healthcare coverage through proper review of denials.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 18, 2026

HB 1172: Pharmacy freedom of choice; specialty pharmacy benefits.

Pharmacy freedom of choice; specialty pharmacy benefits. Provides that in no event shall any person receiving a covered specialty pharmacy benefit from a nonpreferred or nonparticipating provider, regardless of whether it has submitted a reimbursement agreement, be responsible for amounts that may be charged by the nonpreferred or nonparticipating provider in excess of the copayment and the insurer's reimbursement applicable to all of its preferred or participating pharmacy providers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcarePrevents patients from paying excess charges beyond copayments for specialty pharmacy benefits, protecting patient financial rights and improving access to specialty drugs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Prescription Drugs

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signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 456: Health, State Board of, regulations; standards for levels of neonatal care.

State Board of Health regulations; standards for levels of neonatal care. Directs the State Board of Health to establish standards for designation of care in neonatal services consistent with, but not necessarily identical to, standards published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The bill directs the Board of Health to promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of the bill by July 1, 2027, and prohibits enforcement of such regulations until July 1, 2029. This bill is identical to SB 291.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes AAP-based neonatal care standards, strengthening regulatory quality and patient safety in healthcare services.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Children's Health

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 327: Commonwealth Health Reinsurance Program; extension of program, percentage goal to decrease premium.

Commonwealth Health Reinsurance Program; extension of program; percentage goal to decrease premium. Directs the State Corporation Commission to apply to the appropriate federal agencies under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act for an extension of the existing State Innovation Waiver authorizing the Commonwealth to implement a reinsurance program. The existing State Innovation Waiver is set to expire on January 1, 2028. Additionally, the bill removes the 20 percent upper limit of the premium reduction goal under the Commonwealth Health Reinsurance Program. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Health Insurance Reform Commission.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends reinsurance program to lower premiums under ACA, maintaining affordable coverage access by removing 20% premium cap.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance