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Subcommittee reports a slate of health and licensure bills to full committee; most passed unanimously
Summary
The Senate subcommittee moved multiple bills — covering occupational licensing, licensure‑by‑endorsement, midwifery, pharmacy and facility regulation — to the full committee, generally by unanimous voice or recorded votes. Several measures were accompanied by public testimony urging clarifications or further work.
The Senate health subcommittee reported a package of bills to the full committee, moving measures on occupational‑licensing transparency, licensure by endorsement, midwifery practice parity, EMS pharmacy registration, nursing home insurance requirements, dental faculty licensure, pharmacy compounding within health systems, correctional facility medication stock, and procedures for rescheduling an FDA‑approved synthetic psilocybin product.
Most measures passed the subcommittee by recorded voice votes that were recorded as unanimous (Aye 4, No 0). Several bills took substitutes or technical amendments and were reported with staff direction for continued work on implementation language.
Selected outcomes and short summaries (actions taken by the subcommittee):
- SB 826 — Occupational licensing and criminal history: The bill would restrict use of vague phrases such as “good moral character” in licensing denials and require boards to notify applicants in writing of specific offenses and the reasons a conviction relates to licensing. Supporters including reentry and housing organizations and the Virginia REALTORS testified. The subcommittee voted to report the bill to the full committee (Aye 4, No 0).
- SB 1438 — Licensure by endorsement pathway: The bill directs boards regulated by the Department of Health Professions to create streamlined licensure‑by‑endorsement pathways for practitioners licensed in other U.S. jurisdictions. The Department of Health Professions testified that this would accelerate licensure for about 21 practitioner types that currently lack that pathway. The subcommittee voted to report (Aye 4, No 0).
- SB 1352 — Midwifery practice parity (CNM/CM alignment): The bill aligns practice authority for licensed certified midwives (LCMs) with certified nurse‑midwives (CNMs). Midwifery organizations and practicing midwives testified in support; the subcommittee reported unanimously (Aye 4, No 0).
- SB 1318 — Fire/EMS pharmacy registration and board membership: The bill updates pharmacy board rules and adds Fire/EMS representation to reflect new DEA requirements for EMS medication storage and handling. Testimony from EMS organizations and the Board of Pharmacy supported the change; subcommittee voted to report (Aye 4, No 0).
- SB 1152 — Nursing home insurance requirements (substitute): The substitute would clarify per‑occurrence coverage and set a higher aggregate requirement for nursing facilities; advocates for residents and hospital/healthcare representatives discussed insurance limits and availability. The Virginia Health Care Association and LeadingAge asked for clarifying language and additional review; the subcommittee reported the substitute to the full committee with the understanding stakeholders would continue negotiations (Aye 4, No 0).
- SB 1360 — Remove sunset for foreign‑trained dental faculty licenses: The bill removes an expiration date on a faculty license for foreign‑trained dental graduates to teach at Virginia dental schools. VCU and dental stakeholders supported the removal; the subcommittee reported (Aye 4, No 0).
- SB 1363 — Eliminate the Board of Health Professions: The bill dissolves the agency’s non‑licensing policy board and reassigns duties to licensing boards or the department; the Department of Health Professions supported the change; the subcommittee reported (Aye 4, No 0).
- SB 1366 (substitute) — Hospital compounding and intra‑system distribution: The substitute removes a statutory prohibition on hospitals compounding medications and distributing them to other hospitals within the same health system, intended to preserve access during shortages and emergencies. Hospital pharmacists and systems cited recent emergencies in which waivers were used; the subcommittee reported the substitute (Aye 4, No 0).
- SB 1367 — Correctional medication floor stock: The bill authorizes correctional facilities to maintain a floor stock of certain long‑acting or extended‑release medications for mental health and substance‑use disorder treatment to ensure patients receive required doses; subcommittee reported (Aye 4, No 0).
- SB 1475 (substitute) — Dentistry licensure workgroup: The substitute directs the Board of Dentistry to convene a workgroup to study licensure‑by‑credentialing and related statutes and report recommendations; the dental association supported the study approach; the subcommittee reported (Aye 4, No 0).
- SB 1135 (substitute) — FDA‑approved synthetic psilocybin rescheduling procedure: The substitute directs the Board of Pharmacy to act following any FDA approval and DEA rescheduling decision so that an FDA‑approved, rescheduled synthetic psilocybin product can be made available in Virginia in a timely manner. Supporters said the measure would speed patient access to an FDA‑approved therapy for treatment‑resistant depression once federal action occurs; the Board of Pharmacy noted existing code sections that allow federal scheduling to be adopted state‑side and asked for a small timing amendment (adopted). The subcommittee reported the substitute (Aye 4, No 0).
The subcommittee recorded limited opposition on some measures (notably SB 882 and SB 1152) and requested additional technical work or stakeholder negotiation before full‑committee consideration. Most bills will next be scheduled on the Senate committee calendar for fuller debate and potential amendment.
