# Virginia SB257: Health insurance; requirements for certain opioid antagonists.

Virginia SB257, Health insurance; requirements for certain opioid antagonists., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Barbara A. Favola (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0424)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB257-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB257
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Health insurance; requirements for certain opioid antagonists.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-12
- Last action: 2026-04-08, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0424)
- Sponsor: Barbara A. Favola (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 11 (286 yes, 4 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

Health insurance; requirements for certain opioid antagonists. Requires each health insurer, corporation providing health care subscription plans, and health maintenance organization whose policy, contract, or plan includes coverage for prescription drugs to include coverage for at least one opioid antagonist used for overdose reversal dispensed pursuant to an oral, written, or standing order of a prescriber and ensure that cost-sharing for at least one opioid antagonist used for overdose reversal is included on the lowest cost tier of the insurer's, corporation's, or health maintenance organization's prescription drug formulary. The bill provides that such coverage shall be exempt from any prior authorization or step therapy requirement on coverage of benefits. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care. This bill is identical to HB 795.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Most health plans cover overdose-reversal drugs: mixed, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, most individual and group health plans must cover at least one opioid overdose-reversal drug ordered by a prescriber. At least one of these drugs sits on the plan’s lowest cost tier. Plans cannot require prior authorization or step therapy for that drug. This law does not…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Barbara A. Favola (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-12 | House | Passed House with substitute Block Vote | pass | 96 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-12 | Senate | House substitute agreed to by Senate | pass | 39 | 1 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | House | Reported from Appropriations with substitute | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-26 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute and referred to Appropriations | pass | 21 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-24 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations | pass | 6 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-16 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 37 | 1 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | Senate | Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-02 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 10 | 2 | 1 |

## Actions (44)

- 2026-04-08: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0424) (Governor)
- 2026-04-08: Approved by Governor-Chapter 424 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-04-01: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB257) (Senate)
- 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 (Senate)
- 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB257ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: House substitute agreed to by Senate (39-Y 1-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Passed House with substitute Block Vote (96-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-12: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-03-12: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-03-12: committee substitute rejected (House)
- 2026-03-12: Read third time (House)
- 2026-03-11: Read second time (House)
- 2026-03-10: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB257) (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Committee substitute printed 26109143D-H2 (House)
- 2026-03-09: Reported from Appropriations with substitute (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-03-04: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB257) (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Committee substitute printed 26108572D-H1 (House)
- 2026-02-27: Assigned HAPP sub: Health & Human Resources (House)
- 2026-02-26: Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute and referred to Appropriations (21-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-24: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-02-24: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (6-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-24: Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #1 (House)
- 2026-02-19: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House)
- 2026-02-19: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-19: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-16: Read third time and passed Senate (37-Y 1-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB257) (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: Committee substitute printed 26106753D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 2-N 1-A) (Senate)
- 2026-01-23: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB257) (Senate)
- 2026-01-12: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate)
- 2026-01-12: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104746D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218019.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218018.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213372.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213371.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-03-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1200632.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1200631.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-03-05: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1196754.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1196753.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1185526.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1185525.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-25: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179364.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179363.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179063.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179062.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108437.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108436.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108041.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108040.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087012.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087011.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/1218019.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218018.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213372.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213371.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1200632.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1200631.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1196754.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1196753.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1185526.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1185525.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179364.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179363.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179063.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179062.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108437.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108436.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108041.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108040.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087012.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087011.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-SB257-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).