# Virginia HB1103: Medetomidine; manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing, penalties.

Virginia HB1103, Medetomidine; manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing, penalties., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by M. Keith Hodges (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0447)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1103-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1103
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Medetomidine; manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing, penalties.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-14
- Last action: 2026-04-08, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0447)
- Sponsor: M. Keith Hodges (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 8 (237 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing medetomidine; penalties. Provides that any person who knowingly manufactures, sells, gives, distributes, or possesses with the intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute the substance medetomidine, when intended for human consumption, is guilty of a Class 5 felony. Under the bill, any person who knowingly possesses medetomidine, when intended for human consumption, is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Under the bill, it is not an offense to (i) manufacture medetomidine for legitimate veterinary use; (ii) distribute or sell medetomidine for authorized veterinary use; (iii) possess, administer, prescribe, or dispense medetomidine in good faith for use by animals within the course of legitimate veterinary practice; or (iv) possess or administer medetomidine pursuant to a valid prescription from a licensed veterinarian.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Veterinary use of medetomidine, xylazine allowed: benefit, low. Using these drugs for animals is allowed. It is not a crime to make, sell, or distribute them for authorized veterinary use. Licensed veterinarians may possess, prescribe, dispense, and administer them in good faith for animals. People may possess or receive them with a valid prescription from a li…
- Penalties for medetomidine, xylazine for people: cost, medium. The law makes it a Class 5 felony to knowingly make, sell, give, distribute, or possess with intent medetomidine or xylazine for human use. It makes knowing possession for human use a Class 1 misdemeanor. These rules apply only when the drug is meant for people. Legitimate veterinary uses are handl…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: M. Keith Hodges (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-06 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-17 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 97 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 21 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 9 | 0 |   |

## Actions (28)

- 2026-04-08: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0447) (Governor)
- 2026-04-08: Approved by Governor-Chapter 447 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-04-01: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1103) (House)
- 2026-03-31: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1103ER) (House)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-16: Read second time and engrossed (House)
- 2026-02-15: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-13: Reported from Courts of Justice (21-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-11: Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-10: Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal (House)
- 2026-01-17: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1103) (House)
- 2026-01-14: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/14/2026 6:17 pm) (House)
- 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103688D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218007.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218006.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210474.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210473.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087452.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087451.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218007.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218006.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210474.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210473.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087452.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087451.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1103-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).