Senate panel backs short-term tools, work group to regulate recovery homes

Senator Van Valkenburgh presented Senate Bill 8 38 to the Health subcommittee, saying the measure aims to give local governments limited authority to address ‘‘bad actors’’ among recovery homes and to convene a stakeholder work group to recommend longer-term regulation.

The bill would make operating a recovery home without certification a misdemeanor and establish a work group—included in the Senate budget language—to meet over the following months to propose a regulatory pathway. Van Valkenburgh described the approach as a two-step process: a one-year stopgap to allow local action and a second-phase study to design permanent rules.

Speakers representing local and statewide interests spoke in favor. Mike Sherman of Henrico County said the county has a large concentration of recovery homes and cited examples of exploitative operators; he told the committee parents sometimes pay tens of thousands of dollars and residents have been mistreated or expelled without safe return options. Joe Lurch of the Virginia Association of Counties and Janet Harrison of the Virginia Municipal League also voiced support, saying the bill balances the need for recovery housing with oversight.

Anthony Grimes, executive director of the Virginia Association of Recovery Residences (VAR), supported stronger oversight but urged caution, telling the committee his organization is the designated credentialing entity under Virginia law and that recent budget language removed funding for VAR in the governor’s amendment. Grimes said that without clarified funding VAR may be unable to continue credentialing after July 1 and asked the subcommittee to pause the bill until funding and responsibilities are clarified.

Van Valkenburgh responded that VAR remains the credentialing authority under law and that the money in the governor’s budget would ultimately go to them; he reiterated the bill’s two-part intent: give locals limited tools now and convene stakeholders to craft a more complete statutory solution.

The subcommittee moved to report SB 8 38 and refer it to Appropriations. The motion carried and the clerk recorded the bill as reported by a vote of 8 to 0.

The bill will go to the Senate Appropriations Committee if reported out of the chamber.