VirginiaHB15292026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Tax Commissioner; information sharing, eligibility for medical assistance.

Sponsored By: Garrett McGuire (Democratic)

Became Law

Summary

Tax Commissioner; information sharing; eligibility for medical assistance. Authorizes the Tax Commissioner to provide to the Virginia Health Benefit Exchange information voluntarily provided by taxpayers for the purposes of identifying persons who meet the income eligibility requirements for medical assistance and would like to newly enroll in medical assistance. The bill authorizes the Virginia Health Benefit Exchange to divulge to the Department of Medical Assistance Services and the Department of Social Services, upon entering into a written agreement, such information to facilitate such enrollments and applications, as applicable. The bill contains technical amendments and is effective for taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2026.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

Tax-form opt in for health coverage help

Starting with 2021 returns, tax forms include a box to say you are uninsured and let Medicaid contact you. In 2022 and 2023, forms add consent boxes to share tax info with Social Services, Medical Assistance Services, and the state health exchange, plus contact and birth‑date fields. If you opt in, the Tax Commissioner may share your name, address, Social Security number, email, dependents, filing status, adjusted gross income, and W‑2/1099 data under written agreements. The exchange can share with Medicaid and Social Services to help verify eligibility and enroll you in coverage or other assistance, and to support EITC and low‑income credit outreach. Information you share by consent cannot be used to decide that you are ineligible for medical assistance.

Tough penalties for leaking tax information

Tax officials cannot share your tax return details except under a court order or when another law allows it. It is also illegal for anyone to publish confidential tax documents. Violations are Class 1 misdemeanors.

Stronger limits on state use of your data

State agencies may collect only personal data the law allows or that they need to do their job, and should get it directly from you when possible. They must keep data accurate and up to date, sort it into categories with the right access rules, and keep a list of who has regular access. Agencies must log each access for three years or until the data is deleted, whichever is sooner, train staff on rules and penalties, and secure their systems. Before sharing data with another system, they must set limits and get assurances those limits will be followed. Agencies may not collect political or religious beliefs unless a law clearly allows it, cannot help build federal lists by religion or origin unless required by law, and public websites must post a clear privacy policy.

More tax ID sharing and totals

State agencies must give the Tax Commissioner a taxpayer’s name, address, and Social Security number on a written request when needed for tax duties. The tax agency must also give lawmakers the total amount all taxpayers claimed for any deduction or credit when asked. These changes apply to tax years starting on or after January 1, 2026.

Local rental platform tax data stays private

Information that rental platforms give local tax officials is confidential. It may be used only to levy and collect sales, use, and occupancy taxes on rentals and cannot be shared with other local offices.

Narrow data sharing for benefits and schools

The state retirement system may tell your employer’s HR if you are retired or eligible for retirement benefits. Social Services may share limited client details with the Tax Department only for the specific tax purpose named in law. The higher education council may share student information to get wage data from federal sources for required reporting. Each sharing step is allowed only for the narrow purposes set in law.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Garrett McGuire

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 309 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/11/2026

Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate Block Vote

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/11/2026

Passed Senate Block Vote

Yes: 39 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/11/2026

Passed Senate Block Vote

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/10/2026

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)

Yes: 37 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/10/2026

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/9/2026

Reported from Commerce and Labor

Yes: 14 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/26/2026

Rereferred from Education and Health to Commerce and Labor

Yes: 13 • No: 0

House vote 2/17/2026

Read third time and passed House Block Vote

Yes: 97 • No: 0

House vote 2/12/2026

Reported from Health and Human Services

Yes: 21 • No: 0

House vote 2/10/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting

Yes: 8 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0478)

    4/8/2026Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 478 (effective 7/1/2026)

    4/8/2026Governor
  3. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1529)

    3/31/2026House
  4. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    3/31/2026Governor
  5. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

    3/31/2026House
  6. Signed by Speaker

    3/31/2026House
  7. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1529ER)

    3/30/2026House
  8. Enrolled

    3/30/2026House
  9. Signed by President

    3/30/2026Senate
  10. Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

    3/11/2026Senate
  11. Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

    3/11/2026Senate
  12. Passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

    3/11/2026Senate
  13. Read third time

    3/11/2026Senate
  14. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

    3/10/2026Senate
  15. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)

    3/10/2026Senate
  16. Rules suspended

    3/10/2026Senate
  17. Reported from Commerce and Labor (14-Y 0-N)

    3/9/2026Senate
  18. Rereferred from Education and Health to Commerce and Labor (13-Y 0-N)

    2/26/2026Senate
  19. Referred to Committee on Education and Health

    2/18/2026Senate
  20. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

    2/18/2026Senate
  21. Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A)

    2/17/2026House
  22. Read second time and engrossed

    2/16/2026House
  23. Read first time

    2/15/2026House
  24. Reported from Health and Human Services (21-Y 0-N)

    2/12/2026House
  25. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1529)

    2/11/2026House

Bill Text

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