VirginiaSB6802026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Regulatory boards; adjustment of fees, recovery of disciplinary and monitoring costs, report.

Sponsored By: Christopher T. Head (Republican)

Became Law

Summary

Professions and occupations; adjustment of fees by regulatory boards; recovery of disciplinary and monitoring costs. Repeals the provision of law that requires, following the close of any biennium, when the account for any regulatory board within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) shows revenue to be a certain percentage greater than expenses, such regulatory board to distribute excess revenue to current regulants and reduce its licensure or certification fees so that fees are sufficient but not excessive to cover expenses. The bill also repeals the provision with respect to the Department of Health Professions (DHP) that requires, following the close of any biennium, when the account for any regulatory board shows expenses allocated to it for the past biennium to be a certain percentage greater than moneys collected by the board, the board to revise its fees so that such fees are sufficient but not excessive to cover expenses. The bill makes it permissive for the regulatory boards within DPOR and DHP to annually revise the fees levied by it for certification, licensure, registration, or permit and renewal so that the fees are sufficient but not excessive to cover expenses. The bill specifies that each regulatory board must report such revisions to DPOR or DHP and requires each agency to report such revisions to the Chairs of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations by November 1, 2026, and annually thereafter. Regulatory boards are also permitted to recover reasonable administrative costs associated with investigation, disciplinary proceedings, monitoring, and confirming compliance with any terms and conditions imposed from any person who is (i) licensed, registered, certified, or issued a multistate or compact licensure privilege by any regulatory or health regulatory board and (ii) issued a finding of a violation of law or regulation from such regulatory or health regulatory board. Such administrative costs shall not exceed $500 for regulatory boards within DPOR and $1,500 for health regulatory boards within DHP.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.

Boards can bill discipline costs to licensees

When a board finds a violation, it can bill the licensee for reasonable administrative costs of the case. Non-health boards can charge up to $500 per person per finding. Health boards can charge up to $1,500 per person per finding. Costs can include investigation, hearings, monitoring, and compliance checks. Boards must post a schedule of allowed costs first, and these charges are not fines or penalties.

Refunds and tighter limits on board fees

After each two-year cycle, boards must return extra money to current licensees when surpluses top $100,000 or 20% of expenses. They also must cut future fees so they only cover costs. If expenses and collections differ by more than 10%, boards can change fees to realign them. Any increase is capped at 1.5 times the CPI change since the fee was last set, and boards cannot raise fees without a clear need. Starting July 1, 2028, most boards cannot keep a fund balance bigger than the last renewal cycle’s spending; the Board of Medicine is exempt.

Health board fees stay in health

Fee money collected for health boards and placed in the special fund can only pay for health board expenses, the Health Practitioners’ Monitoring Program, and the Department of Health Professions. Except for two narrow statutes, that money cannot be moved to other agencies. The law also repeals Code § 54.1-2708.2 to align with the new framework.

Faster fee changes with public input

Boards can change fee rules faster because those regulations are now mostly exempt from the full Administrative Process Act. Before adopting a change, a board must hold a public hearing, give at least 30 days’ written notice to the public and the Secretary of Finance, and publish evidence showing why the change is needed. If a board adopts a change, its department must report fee amendments to the legislature every year starting November 1, 2026.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Christopher T. Head

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 245 • No: 22

Senate vote 2/27/2026

House substitute agreed to by Senate

Yes: 39 • No: 0

House vote 2/24/2026

Passed House with substitute

Yes: 76 • No: 22

House vote 2/19/2026

Reported from General Laws with substitute

Yes: 21 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/13/2026

Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote

Yes: 39 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/12/2026

Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/11/2026

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/11/2026

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading)

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/10/2026

Reported from Finance and Appropriations

Yes: 15 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/4/2026

Reported from General Laws and Technology and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations

Yes: 15 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0971)

    4/13/2026Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 971 (effective 7/1/2026)

    4/13/2026Governor
  3. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    3/10/2026Governor
  4. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

    3/10/2026Senate
  5. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB680)

    3/5/2026Senate
  6. Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB680ER)

    3/4/2026Senate
  7. Enrolled

    3/4/2026Senate
  8. Signed by President

    3/4/2026Senate
  9. Signed by Speaker

    3/4/2026House
  10. House substitute agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

    2/27/2026Senate
  11. Passed by for the day

    2/26/2026Senate
  12. Passed House with substitute (76-Y 22-N 0-A)

    2/24/2026House
  13. Engrossed by House - committee substitute

    2/24/2026House
  14. committee substitute agreed to

    2/24/2026House
  15. Read third time

    2/24/2026House
  16. Read second time

    2/23/2026House
  17. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB680)

    2/20/2026Senate
  18. Committee substitute printed 26108260D-H1

    2/19/2026House
  19. House committee offered

    2/19/2026House
  20. Reported from General Laws with substitute (21-Y 0-N)

    2/19/2026House
  21. Referred to Committee on General Laws

    2/19/2026House
  22. Read first time

    2/19/2026House
  23. Placed on Calendar

    2/19/2026House
  24. Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

    2/13/2026Senate
  25. Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)

    2/12/2026Senate

Bill Text

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