# Virginia HB2738: Health insurance; coverage for mental health and substance abuse disorders. Virginia HB2738, Health insurance; coverage for mental health and substance abuse disorders., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Mark D. Sickles (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-03-21 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0314)) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2738-2025 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB2738 - State: Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Health insurance; coverage for mental health and substance abuse disorders. - Status: to governor - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-17 - Last action: 2025-03-21, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0314) - Sponsor: Mark D. Sickles (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 7 (275 yes, 44 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Health insurance; coverage for mental health and substance abuse disorders; generally accepted standards of care. Requires health insurance coverage, as defined in the bill, to provide coverage for mental health and substance use disorder benefits for children, adolescents, and adults and requires such coverage to apply the definitions of "generally accepted standards of mental health or substance use disorder care" and "medically necessary" provided in the bill for any determination of medical necessity, prior authorization, or utilization review under such coverage. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Mark D. Sickles (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-02-20 | House | Senate Amendments agreed to by House | pass | 83 | 15 | | | 2025-02-19 | Senate | Passed Senate with amendments Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2025-02-18 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2025-02-17 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendments | pass | 14 | 0 | | | 2025-02-04 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 79 | 19 | | | 2025-01-30 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute | pass | 14 | 8 | | | 2025-01-28 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 5 | 2 | 1 | ## Actions (32) - 2025-03-21: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0314) (Governor) - 2025-03-21: Approved by Governor-Chapter 314 (Effective 07/01/25) (Governor) - 2025-03-12: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2738) (House) - 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: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB2738ER) (House) - 2025-03-07: Enrolled (House) - 2025-03-07: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-02-20: Senate Amendments agreed to by House (83-Y 15-N) (House) - 2025-02-19: Passed Senate with amendments Block Vote (40-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Commerce and Labor Amendments agreed to (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Read third time (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Reading of amendments waived (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendments (14-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2025-02-04: Read third time and passed House (79-Y 19-N) (House) - 2025-02-03: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House) - 2025-02-03: Labor and Commerce Substitute agreed to (House) - 2025-02-03: Read second time (House) - 2025-02-02: Read first time (House) - 2025-01-30: Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (14-Y 8-N) (House) - 2025-01-30: Committee substitute printed 25106283D-H1 (House) - 2025-01-28: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 2-N) (House) - 2025-01-23: Assigned L & C sub: Subcommittee #1 (House) - 2025-01-17: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House) - 2025-01-17: Presented and ordered printed 25104829D (House) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2025-03-21: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1072471.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1072470.PDF) - Enrolled, 2025-03-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067692.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067691.PDF) - Amendment, 2025-02-19: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1062576.HTML) - Amendment, 2025-02-18: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1057386.HTML) - Amendment, 2025-02-17: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1056813.HTML) - Substitute, 2025-01-31: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036727.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036726.PDF) - Substitute, 2025-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1032145.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1032144.PDF) - Introduced, 2025-01-17: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1022442.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1022441.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/1072471.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1072470.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067692.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067691.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1062576.HTML) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1057386.HTML) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1056813.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036727.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036726.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1032145.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1032144.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1022442.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1022441.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) - [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-HB2738-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).