All Roll Calls
Yes: 251 • No: 0
Sponsored By: Lashrecse D. Aird (Democratic)
Became Law
State Board of Health regulations; standards for levels of neonatal care. Directs the State Board of Health to establish standards for designation of care in neonatal services consistent with, but not necessarily identical to, standards published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The bill directs the Board of Health to promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of the bill by July 1, 2027, and prohibits enforcement of such regulations until July 1, 2029. This bill is identical to HB 456.
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15 provisions identified: 14 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Before a non‑emergency air medical transfer, the hospital must give you written or electronic notice that you may choose the transporter and that you may owe charges if it is out‑of‑network or not covered. If you have elective surgery and will likely need outpatient physical therapy, the hospital must tell you and have you pick a therapy provider before you go home. These rules start July 1, 2029.
Nursing homes must carry at least $1,000,000 in general liability per occurrence and professional liability at least equal to the legal recovery cap per patient occurrence, with proof at license renewal. Homes must refund any unspent patient funds within 30 days of a written request after discharge or death (some entrance fees are excluded). Homes must disclose admissions policies, train mandated reporters on elder abuse, and offer flu and pneumococcal vaccines unless declined or medically unsafe. Homes must register for nearby sex‑offender alerts and check the registry before admission when a stay is expected to be over three days (or becomes so). If a family council asks, the home must send council notices up to six times a year. During a COVID‑19 emergency, homes must follow visitation plans and ensure at least one visit every 10 days unless the resident or representative limits it. Staff may store and give cannabis oil for residents with a valid certification. All rules start July 1, 2029.
Hospitals with emergency rooms must keep a Virginia‑licensed doctor on site at all times. They must run a risk‑based security plan, with trained security or an off‑duty officer if the assessment shows it is needed. Urine drug screens done in the ER to help diagnose must include fentanyl. ERs must have a plan to treat and discharge people with substance‑use emergencies, including screening, referrals, and giving or prescribing naloxone. Hospitals may allow emergency verbal orders, but the prescriber must sign within 72 hours. If a psychiatric unit refuses an admission, doctors must speak directly, and consult poison control when requested. All rules start July 1, 2029.
Hospitals that provide life‑sustaining treatment must have a policy to review whether proposed care is medically and ethically appropriate. The policy must allow a second opinion, committee review, and a written explanation in the medical record. Patients or decision‑makers must be told how to get records, seek an independent opinion, and pursue legal options. To seek reconsideration, a written notice to the hospital CEO is due within 14 days. Starts July 1, 2029.
Hospitals that offer obstetric care must have a written plan for admitting or transferring women in labor. They must also have stillbirth policies that cover counseling and care, following state guidelines. The Board sets standards to label hospitals by neonatal care levels, aligned with national guidance, including staffing, equipment, and protocols. Hospitals must make written discharge plans for identified substance‑using postpartum women and their infants, record referrals, involve family when possible, and notify the community services board as required. All changes start July 1, 2029.
Hospitals must give you a written list of your rights and responsibilities at admission. Adult patients may receive visits from any person they choose, subject to medical and capacity limits. During a declared communicable‑disease emergency, hospitals and similar facilities must allow clergy visits under safety rules and may use virtual visits. Facilities must allow patients to use smart assistants, while protecting privacy under HIPAA. If a hospital lets minors see records online, it must also give a parent or guardian access unless the law blocks sharing or consent is missing. All start July 1, 2029.
Every hospital must set up a system for staff to report workplace violence and must forbid retaliation. Hospitals must keep reports at least two years and include required details like date, time, location, incident type, and response. They must share data each quarter with the chief medical and nursing officers and send a de‑identified annual report to the Department of Health. Starts July 1, 2029.
During certain disasters or emergency orders, hospitals and nursing homes may add temporary beds without a new license if they can safely staff. The exemption lasts for the disaster or emergency order period plus 30 days. This helps expand capacity during evacuations or bed shortages. Starts July 1, 2029.
Hospitals that do surgeries must require smoke‑evacuation systems for planned procedures likely to create surgical smoke. Facilities that treat people with hemophilia and stock clotting factors must record product lot numbers and, if a lot is found contaminated, notify the patient’s doctor and ask the doctor to notify the patient. Starts July 1, 2029.
Licensed hospitals, nursing homes, and certified nursing facilities can operate adult day centers if they get the proper license. This gives caregivers and older adults more options for daytime care. The change takes effect July 1, 2029.
Hospitals may make agreements with the Department of Health to provide naloxone or other overdose‑reversal drugs to uninsured patients. The law allows access but does not itself pay for the medicine. Starts July 1, 2029.
Hospitals must follow federal rules on organ donation and have an agreement with a CMS‑designated organ procurement organization. They must also have access to at least one tissue bank and one eye bank and train staff who speak with families. Hospitals must work with the OPO to identify and maintain potential donors unless documented family opposition exists. Starts July 1, 2029.
The Board of Health must issue rules by July 1, 2027. The law becomes enforceable on July 1, 2029. No penalties or enforcement apply before July 1, 2029 for not meeting regulations issued under this act. This schedule gives facilities time to prepare.
The State Board of Health sets rules for hospitals and nursing homes that match medical and public health standards and follow Medicare and Medicaid rules. The rules cover buildings, staffing, equipment, training, infection control, disaster plans, security, and some care given at home. The Board may classify and license facilities by specialty and by bed capacity. These rules take effect July 1, 2029.
The State Board of Health sets license fees for hospitals and nursing homes to pay for licensure and inspection. Fees can change no more than once a year and only when program costs and appropriations differ by more than 10% from operating needs. The Board analyzes hospitals and nursing homes separately. Starts July 1, 2029.
Lashrecse D. Aird
Democratic • Senate
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
All Roll Calls
Yes: 251 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/26/2026
House substitute agreed to by Senate
Yes: 40 • No: 0
House vote • 2/24/2026
Passed House with substitute Block Vote
Yes: 98 • No: 0
House vote • 2/19/2026
Reported from Health and Human Services with substitute
Yes: 21 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/27/2026
Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote
Yes: 39 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/26/2026
Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/23/2026
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/23/2026
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading)
Yes: 39 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/22/2026
Reported from Education and Health with amendment
Yes: 14 • No: 0
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0146)
Approved by Governor-Chapter 146 (effective 7/1/2026)
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB291)
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB291ER)
Enrolled
Signed by President
Signed by Speaker
House substitute agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Passed House with substitute Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A)
Engrossed by House - committee substitute
committee substitute agreed to
Read third time
Read second time
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB291)
Committee substitute printed 26108254D-H1
Reported from Health and Human Services with substitute (21-Y 0-N)
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB291)
Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services
Read first time
Placed on Calendar
Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Education and Health Amendment agreed to
Chaptered
4/6/2026
Enrolled
3/2/2026
Substitute
2/19/2026
Engrossed
1/26/2026
Amendment
1/23/2026
Amendment
1/22/2026
Introduced
1/13/2026
SB767 — Motor vehicles; glass repair and replacement, emissions inspections, penalties, repeals.
Motor vehicle glass repair and replacement; emissions inspection; penalties. Establishes various notice requirements for motor vehicle glass repair shops, defined in the bill, and provides that a violation of such requirements is a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The bill permits a motor vehicle to qualify for an emissions inspection waiver if such vehicle has failed an inspection and the vehicle's onboard diagnostic system is in a not-ready condition to be tested when presented for reinspection. This bill is identical to HB 312.
SB803 — Virginia Fair Housing Law; regulations defining terms related to unlawful conduct.
Virginia Fair Housing Law; unlawful conduct. Directs the Fair Housing Board to promulgate regulations defining "quid pro quo harassment," "hostile environment harassment," and other terms related to unlawful conduct under the Virginia Fair Housing Law. The bill directs the Fair Housing Board to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill.
SB731 — Private companies providing public transportation services; employee protections.
Private companies providing public transportation services; employee protections; report. Requires the governing body of any county or city that contracts with a private company to provide transportation services to (i) require such company to provide any employee of such company providing such services compensation and benefits that are, at a minimum, equivalent to the compensation and benefits provided to a public employee, as defined in the bill, with a position requiring equivalent qualifications and years of service; (ii) provide transportation services through such company's own employees; and (iii) if such county or city subsequently elects to provide its own system of public transportation, adopt an ordinance or resolution providing for collective bargaining and ensure all employees of such private company are offered employment with such subsequent public transportation system without loss of compensation or benefits. The bill clarifies that the bill only applies to actions occurring on or after the effective date and excludes any action taken, contract signed, liability incurred, or right accrued prior to July 1, 2026, from the requirements. Finally, the bill directs the Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation to convene a work group to develop recommendations on how to implement the provisions of the bill and requires the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Labor and Commerce and Senate Committee on Local Government by November 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 547.
SB620 — Va. ABC Authority; permitting of retail tobacco product retailers, etc.
Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority; permitting of retail tobacco product retailers; purchase, possession, and sale of retail tobacco products; penalties; report. Transitions and provides a more comprehensive structure for the current licensing and enforcement responsibilities related to liquid nicotine and retail tobacco products from the Department of Taxation to a permitting system administered by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority. The bill requires the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage and Control Authority to conduct an unannounced buyer operation at least once every 24 months to verify that a permittee, defined in the bill, is not selling retail tobacco products to persons under 21 years of age. Portions of the bill have a delayed effective date of October 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 308.
SB666 — Residential land development and construction; fee transparency, local housing development.
Department of Housing and Community Development; housing development database. Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to collect from each locality and make available to the public, localities, state agencies, and other state and regional public entities in a centralized, machine-readable, screen reader compatible database various data for each new and existing housing development in each locality in the Commonwealth, including data related to the number of housing development plans submitted and approved by the locality and the average approval timeline for housing development plans.
SB599 — Va. Opioid Use Red. & Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Trtmt. and Transition Fund; grant procedure.
Virginia Opioid Use Reduction and Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Transition Fund; grant procedures. Requires the grant procedure to govern funds awarded to local and regional jails for the planning or operation of substance use disorder treatment services and transition services for persons with substance use disorder who are incarcerated in local and regional jails to include requirements that (i) any grant awarded shall be made for up to three years and (ii) an applicant for a grant submit a plan demonstrating how such applicant will become independently financially viable within the time period for which the grant is awarded. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care and is identical to HB 455.