Health professions subcommittee advances study of physician assistants, newborn on-call changes and eight other bills

The Virginia House Health Professions Subcommittee on Tuesday advanced a slate of health-related bills to the full committee, approving study directives, licensing changes and regulatory cleanups intended to address workforce shortages and rural access to care.

The most consequential items included House Bill 2489, a study on expanding physician assistants’ scope; House Bill 1904, a substitute that lets certified nurse midwives, licensed certified midwives and pediatric nurse practitioners appear on 24-hour newborn screening call rosters in hospitals when physicians cannot be onsite within 30 minutes; and House Bill 2040, which creates a licensure pathway for speech-language pathology assistants. Other measures cleared the subcommittee to streamline pharmacy technician training, finalize advanced medication aid rules and update optometry code. Most measures passed unanimously or by voice vote. House Bill 2079 (on certified anesthesiologist assistants) was taken “by for the day.”

Why it matters: Subcommittee members and stakeholders said the bills are aimed primarily at easing workforce shortages, reducing regulatory friction and keeping services open in rural maternity care deserts. Supporters told the panel that modest regulatory changes and a formal study will help policymakers weigh patient safety against access risks.

What the subcommittee did (selected items)

House Bill 2489 — Physician assistant scope study: Delegate Henson introduced the bill directing the Department of Health Professions to study whether to expand physician assistants’ autonomy and to compare Virginia’s rules to other states. Clark Barner of the Medical Society of Virginia said, “We are very supportive of this legislation” and credited the Virginia Association of Physician Assistants for working collaboratively. The subcommittee reported HB 2489 to the full committee (vote recorded in-session as 7–0).

House…