[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6386166,"mediaKeyId","2118488-841c8e7aab967084feb64793f2895e0b","parentId",2118488,"title","Panel advances bill to create Prescription Drug Affordability Review Board after hours of testimony","audioSeconds",1261,"startMs",2962000,"endMs",4223000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2118488-841c8e7aab967084feb64793f2895e0b&start=2962&end=4223","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2118488-841c8e7aab967084feb64793f2895e0b/thumbnail_2962000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6386166/Virginia/Panel-advances-bill-to-create-Prescription-Drug-Affordability-Review-Board-after-hours-of-testimony","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6386166-170990585a6769ff1a973913208e3567/orig.mp4?Expires=1771031515&Signature=DgkPzUXFSbaRoBQLHqfK1Ko5V4Ey7oc~NgjeKd6HKFQr~GVDnHZN2NNXYzQCpFcSp0KCVgc59QlETDLhEBcwUY2BSHuHPxZ23p6CqVqEMW2ipgWikLsfsj1l-YCWTvvMJzXan8cAgWIOayG8DVdDqwX2rlHN8tXtlXyECYs4l2t-KJU19Wr~BKHFwdH2x3vipZz7NgWo7EVx0MQScr7dIqyOc3o4pU5S3on7m~xRyzVUKIefzs1rPJJptH8ZzAemJSHRfNmGUW4rki7BWuTSz4dIwOLZ4iKkh8lDDvPoqjk45eIG-MtS99M3HxCimlj7V70kWwL8hHZhEiJ1RbQ9ag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Virginia Legislature","date","2025-01-14T00:00:00Z","article","RICHMOND, Va.

The House Labor and Commerce Committee on Tuesday voted 12-9 to report House Bill 1724 and referred the measure to the Appropriations Committee. HB 1724 would establish a Prescription Drug Affordability Review Board that could review steep price increases and set upper payment limits for specified drugs.

The bill's patron, Delegate Danica Delaney, described the proposal as a response to rising out-of-pocket costs. \"The cost of simply staying alive in Virginia is much too high,\" Delaney told members, saying the board would consist of medical and health-care professionals who could review price hikes and set upper price limits when appropriate. The bill would trigger reviews when a drug's price increases by more than 10 percent or $10,000 in a 12-month period; manufacturers would report and could present justification to the board before any limit was set.

Supporters included patient advocates and policy groups who said the board could restrain extreme price spikes that make lifesaving treatments unaffordable. Rena Hicks of Freedom Virginia, advocates from Rare Access Action Project and CF United, the Virginia Catholic Conference, the Virginia Association of Counties, and the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis registered public support or testified in favor.

Opponents — including physician groups, biotechnology and industry representatives, state medical specialists, and consultants — warned of unintended consequences. Testimony from Rainier Simmons argued the proposal did not adequately consider impacts on Medicaid rebates and the 340B program, citing analysis from other states suggesting upper payment limits (UPLs) could reduce rebate values and thereby lower federal matching dollars. A caller representing rheumatology and oncology societies said that patient cost-share is determined primarily by insurers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), not list prices, and urged attention to PBM reform rather than UPLs. Industry groups including the Biotechnology Innovation Organization and trade representatives also opposed the bill.

Several patient speakers described painful experiences. Amanda Boone, founder of CF United, said her group's experience under Colorado's review process was traumatic and that independent patients fear restricted access and increased insurer denials. Other rare-disease patients urged safeguards for specialty populations.

Supporters stressed built-in limits: testimony noted the board could set no more than 12 upper payment limits per year, and that manufacturers would have opportunities to explain price changes and to participate in a public process. After questions from members and nearly twenty minutes of public testimony, the committee approved a motion to report HB 1724 and send it to appropriations by a recorded vote of 12 to 9.

The committee record shows extensive written and oral testimony both for and against the proposal, and committee members indicated the bill will face further scrutiny in Appropriations, where cost and budgetary interactions with Medicaid and other state programs will be evaluated.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Labor and Commerce Tuesday, Jan 14, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 1724, proposing a Prescription Drug Affordability Review Board with authority to review large price increases and set upper payment limits, was reported by the Labor and Commerce Committee 12-9 and referred to appropriations after supporters and opponents debated triggers, scope and unintended consequences.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature VA, Virginia","taxId",77687,"location","Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":44,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6386172,"House panel votes to remove farm-worker exemption from Virginia minimum wage",406,2556000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2118488-841c8e7aab967084feb64793f2895e0b&start=2556&end=2962","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2118488-841c8e7aab967084feb64793f2895e0b/thumbnail_2556000.jpg","/articles/6386172/Virginia/House-panel-votes-to-remove-farm-worker-exemption-from-Virginia-minimum-wage","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6386172-0a798dcf71b86a3c8ba1442b88baf09d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771031515&Signature=BmHAVkSVQbbr7lq7t89KwbTtqptWJmdDWrFNVqHxwZ0KNjbJX1R6mQ4Ab5thL3iDNGnanrmtzhDXKU~rdUDcxLXFeln74xBDGNikzMmTCxbWMI~KQhCGRcr4u7JD-PHsDcRKAn3DsxkfOObiUPFeirKC4Dn~ot5P~EipeaUM0IHhJ1V6yQPZYwXrQtb0kYKi3bwkT2HBkX-ssBASqI9eVAKR8CZQPK9qT4NcweBAT3t28s8U9QifWxPLEttcHxWpuLLOXrmVrmvkJDxc-2KMIcZLbSAb9wuvKb5p0l~iknD5na8Ma-fy6RnjRCMcgyWtFHkvC~nmFIbXCUHZPXcrNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","RICHMOND, Va.

The House Labor and Commerce Committee on Tuesday voted 12-9 to report House Bill 1625, a measure that would remove the farm-worker exemption from the Virginia minimum wage law and apply state minimum wage protections to workers in agriculture.

The bill's patron, Delegate Mariannette McClure, told the committee HB 1625 \"removes the farm worker exemption from the, and the temporary foreign worker exemption from the Virginia minimum wage act.\" She said the change targets outlier employers who pay below federally established wages and would remove what she called a \"discriminatory\" carve-out.

The bill drew both opposition and support during the committee hearing. Kyle Shree of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and Heidi Hertz of Cozen O'Connor, representing the Virginia Agribusiness Council, opposed the bill, citing concerns about interactions with federal rules and potential wage impacts tied to the federal adverse effect wage rate. Travis Rickman from the Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry warned the committee that additional wage mandates could \"risk closures of small and medium sized farms,\" and he cited a recent loss of over 5,000 farms and nearly 500,000 acres of farmland over the last five years.

Supporters included advocates and labor groups who said most farmers already pay at or above the state minimum and that the bill would protect workers from extremely low pay. Rena (no last name provided) with Freedom Virginia said she supported the bill. Tram Nguyen of New Virginia Majority, Wes Gibson of the Virginia Education Association, Jason Erasch of the Legal Aid Justice Center, Doris Krause Mayes of the Virginia AFL-CIO, Ramon Cepeda Ramos of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, and Sophie McGinley of the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis each registered support on the record.

The committee debated whether the change would harm farm viability or create unfair competition. Delegate Rip Sullivan urged colleagues to consider recent statewide economic trends and past experience from broader minimum-wage increases, saying predictions of economic harm during prior increases did not materialize. After members questioned and heard testimony, the committee approved a motion to report the bill and advance it from the committee by a recorded vote of 12 to 9.

The committee's action sends HB 1625 on to the next stage of the legislative process. The measure was reported out of committee with no recorded amendments during the hearing.

Votes at the meeting were conducted electronically; the committee chair announced the final tally as 12-9 in favor of reporting the bill.","The House Labor and Commerce Committee voted 12-9 to report HB 1625, which would eliminate the farm-worker exemption from Virginia's minimum wage law and extend state minimum-wage protections to agricultural workers currently exempt under state law.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Panel advances bill to create Prescription Drug Affordability Review Board after hours of testimony

House panel votes to remove farm-worker exemption from Virginia minimum wage