# Virginia HB656: Mental health & substance abuse disorders; network adequacy standards, comparative analyses, report.

Virginia HB656, Mental health & substance abuse disorders; network adequacy standards, comparative analyses, report., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Rodney T. Willett (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0652)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB656-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB656
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Mental health & substance abuse disorders; network adequacy standards, comparative analyses, report.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0652)
- Sponsor: Rodney T. Willett (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 10 (324 yes, 11 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 6

## Summary

Mental health and substance abuse disorders; network adequacy standards; comparative analyses; report; emergency regulations. Directs the Department of Health to issue regulations that include quantitative network adequacy standards for timely access to care, travel time, and geographical distance that are at least as stringent as those imposed for qualified health plans and qualified dental plans. The bill amends the definitions of "mental health services" and "substance abuse services" for the purposes of health insurance coverage. The bill requires health carriers to submit all comparative analyses prepared pursuant to federal law to the Bureau of Insurance on the date and frequency as specified by the Bureau and includes additional information to include in such submission. Under the bill, the Bureau may impose a penalty not to exceed $100,000 for a noncompliant or insufficient comparative analysis or require a carrier to remove, revise, or remedy noncompliant treatment limitations. The bill also amends the contents of the annual report submitted by the Bureau to the General Assembly to cover enforcement efforts with respect to the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.The bill authorizes the Bureau to promulgate regulations as necessary to implement the provisions of the bill and directs the Department of Health to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. The bill directs the Department of Human Resource Management to evaluate the impact of the proposed changes to the provisions of the bill related to health insurance. The provisions of the bill related to health insurance have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 524.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Older small-group plans must protect benefits: benefit, high. Beginning July 1, 2027, grandfathered small-group plans must follow full parity rules or keep specified minimum benefits. The minimum option provides at least 20 inpatient days for adults and 25 for children and teens each policy year. Each person gets at least 20 outpatient visits, with limits no…
- Stronger mental health coverage for patients: benefit, high. Beginning July 1, 2027, group and individual plans must cover mental health and substance use care on equal terms with medical care. This applies even when federal parity rules do not directly apply, with exceptions for grandfathered small-group plans. Care approval decisions must follow the requir…
- Health plans face stronger network standards: benefit, medium. Virginia's Board of Health must set measurable network standards for managed care health plans. The rules must address timely care, travel time, and distance to providers. They must be at least as strict as standards for qualified health and dental plans on Virginia's insurance exchange. The regula…
- Health cost reports protect payment details: benefit, low. Public releases from Virginia's health claims database must use masked payment amounts rather than actual provider payments. The masking method must be public and approved by the data release committee. The Department of Health can request actual amounts for grouped disease-cost reports or average-…
- Health data suppliers face reporting penalties: cost, low. Virginia must collect claims data for its All-Payer Claims Database, not just paid claims or claims for covered benefits. Applicable reporting thresholds are at least 1,000 covered lives for insurers and health maintenance organizations, or 1,000 Virginia covered lives for administrators and specif…
- Public coverage reviews and insurer penalties: mixed, low. Health insurers must submit mental health parity comparisons at least every two years, starting by October 1, 2026. The first submission must include all existing comparisons and online access information; the Bureau of Insurance must make current comparisons public. The Bureau must request data on…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

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

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-11 | House | Senate substitute agreed to by House | pass | 92 | 6 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Education and Health Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-06 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 14 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-26 | Senate | Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-16 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 95 | 3 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | House | Reported from Health and Human Services with substitute | pass | 21 | 1 |   |
| 2026-02-05 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 7 | 1 |   |

## Actions (37)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0652) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor - Chapter 652 (effective - see bill) (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB656) (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 (HB656ER) (House)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Senate substitute agreed to by House (92-Y 6-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-10: Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Education and Health Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (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 (14-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB656) (House)
- 2026-02-27: Committee substitute printed 26108828D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Referred to Committee on Education and Health (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Read third time and passed House (95-Y 3-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-16: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB656) (House)
- 2026-02-13: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-13: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-13: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-12: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-10: Committee substitute printed 26106935D-H1 (House)
- 2026-02-10: Reported from Health and Human Services with substitute (21-Y 1-N) (House)
- 2026-02-05: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB656) (House)
- 2026-02-05: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 1-N) (House)
- 2026-02-04: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-01-21: Assigned sub: Behavioral Health (House)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services (House)
- 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104547D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221602.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221601.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212309.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212308.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186919.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186918.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-10: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1136600.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1136599.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-05: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128558.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128557.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127446.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127445.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085376.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085375.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/1221602.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221601.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212309.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212308.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186919.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186918.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1136600.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1136599.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128558.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128557.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127446.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127445.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085376.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085375.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-HB656-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).