# Virginia SB421: Pharmacist; remote verification and counseling in opioid treatment programs.

Virginia SB421, Pharmacist; remote verification and counseling in opioid treatment programs., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Barbara A. Favola (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-06 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0345)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB421-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB421
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Pharmacist; remote verification and counseling in opioid treatment programs.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-06, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0345)
- Sponsor: Barbara A. Favola (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 8 (213 yes, 8 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

Remote pharmacist verification and counseling in opioid treatment programs. Authorizes a pharmacist licensed in the Commonwealth to exercise verification, counseling, and supervision duties remotely when a pharmacy technician or other authorized personnel dispenses medication prescribed for the management of opioid use disorder at a federally certified opioid treatment program.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Remote pharmacist care for opioid treatment patients: benefit, low. Virginia law allows remote pharmacist counseling and checks of medication dispensing at federally certified opioid treatment programs. This covers methadone and other medicines prescribed to manage opioid use disorder. Pharmacists must hold a Virginia license in good standing and use live, two-way…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

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

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-27 | House | Passed House | pass | 91 | 5 |   |
| 2026-02-24 | House | Reported from Health and Human Services | pass | 19 | 3 |   |
| 2026-02-19 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 10 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-09 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-06 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-06 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-05 | Senate | Reported from Education and Health | pass | 14 | 0 |   |

## Actions (30)

- 2026-04-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0345) (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Approved by Governor-Chapter 345 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB421) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB421ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-02-27: Passed House (91-Y 5-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-27: Read third time (House)
- 2026-02-26: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-24: Reported from Health and Human Services (19-Y 3-N) (House)
- 2026-02-19: Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-16: Assigned sub: Health Professions (House)
- 2026-02-13: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-13: Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services (House)
- 2026-02-13: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-10: Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: Reported from Education and Health (14-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-30: Assigned Education sub: Health Professions (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB421) (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Education and Health (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104861D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217439.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217438.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1188580.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1188579.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090003.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090002.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/1217439.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217438.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1188580.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1188579.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090003.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090002.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-SB421-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).