# Virginia HB1897: Master's social worker; scope of practice, regulations.

Virginia HB1897, Master's social worker; scope of practice, regulations., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Rodney T. Willett (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-03-19 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0146)) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1897-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1897
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Master's social worker; scope of practice, regulations.
- Status: to governor
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-06
- Last action: 2025-03-19, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0146)
- Sponsor: Rodney T. Willett (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 7 (320 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Board of Social Work; Board of Counseling; master's social worker; scope of practice; regulations. Expands the scope of practice of master's social workers to allow the provision of clinical services under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker. The bill also directs the Board of Social Work to promulgate regulations to allow master's social workers to engage in clinical services under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker and directs the Board of Counseling to amend its regulations to state that a licensed baccalaureate social worker shall not be required to (i) register with the Board of Counseling or (ii) fulfill any additional training or education requirements in order to serve as a qualified mental health professional-trainee. The bill directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to amend their regulations to deem the services provided by a licensed baccalaureate social worker to be equivalent to the services provided by a qualified mental health professional-trainee and reimbursed at a comparable rate, and directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to seek all necessary federal authority to enact such changes.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Rodney T. Willett (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-18 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-17 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-13 | Senate | Reported from Education and Health | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-03 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 99 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-03 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 98 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-28 | House | Reported from Health and Human Services with substitute | pass | 21 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-23 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 8 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (33)

- 2025-03-19: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0146) (Governor)
- 2025-03-19: Approved by Governor-Chapter 146 (Effective 07/01/25) (Governor)
- 2025-03-11: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-03-11: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025 (House)
- 2025-03-10: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1897) (House)
- 2025-03-07: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1897ER) (House)
- 2025-03-07: Enrolled (House)
- 2025-03-07: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-02-18: Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: Read third time (Senate)
- 2025-02-17: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (Senate)
- 2025-02-17: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-02-17: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-02-13: Reported from Education and Health (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-07: Assigned Education sub: Health Professions (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Referred to Committee on Education and Health (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2025-02-03: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (99-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-03: Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House (House)
- 2025-02-03: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-31: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2025-01-31: Health and Human Services Substitute agreed to (House)
- 2025-01-31: Read second time (House)
- 2025-01-30: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1897) (House)
- 2025-01-30: Read first time (House)
- 2025-01-28: Committee substitute printed 25106245D-H1 (House)
- 2025-01-28: Reported from Health and Human Services with substitute (21-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-23: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-22: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1897) (House)
- 2025-01-14: Assigned sub: Health Professions (House)
- 2025-01-06: Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services (House)
- 2025-01-06: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-13-2025 25101166D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2025-03-19: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1071588.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1071587.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2025-03-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1061082.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1061081.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-01-28: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1031171.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1031170.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-01-23: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1026996.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1026995.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-01-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013562.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013561.PDF)

## Related bills

- HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted)
- SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed)
- HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed)
- HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed)
- SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed)
- HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1071588.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1071587.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1061082.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1061081.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1031171.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1031170.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1026996.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1026995.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013562.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013561.PDF)

## Related
- [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025)
- [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025)
- [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025)
- [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025)
- [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025)
- [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025)
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- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1897-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).