The Virginia State Government convened on February 7, 2025, at 8:30 am for a meeting focused on health professions, addressing several key legislative bills aimed at enhancing the state's healthcare workforce and services.

The meeting commenced with a discussion on House Bill 18 97, which proposes to allow master's social workers (MSWs) who are not pursuing clinical licensure to register as qualified mental health professionals (QMHPs). This bill aims to expand the mental health workforce and provide additional vocational opportunities for MSWs and baccalaureate social workers. The committee expressed support, and the bill was recommended for further consideration.

Next, Delegate Seibold introduced House Bill 2,040, which seeks to add speech-language pathology assistants to the professions governed by the Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. The bill includes amendments to clarify licensure pathways and supervision ratios, aligning with recommendations from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The committee unanimously supported the bill, recommending it for reporting.

Delegate McQuinn presented House Bill 2,198, which aims to establish Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care Centers. These centers would provide daycare services for medically dependent children, allowing for skilled nursing and therapy in a group setting. The bill is designed to improve care continuity and reduce hospitalizations. The committee heard supportive testimony from healthcare professionals and voted to recommend the bill.

Delegate Hodges introduced House Bill 2,307, which eliminates outdated federal waiver references for prescribing buprenorphine for opioid addiction treatment and expands pharmacy technician training options. The committee supported the bill, recognizing its potential to enhance workforce training.

House Bill 2,378, also presented by Delegate Hodges, requires drug manufacturers to facilitate the return of expired drugs by pharmacies, improving financial sustainability for pharmacies. The committee acknowledged the complexities of pharmacy operations and voted to recommend the bill.

Delegate Sickles discussed House Bill 2,319, which broadens the legality of drug checking machines for all opioids, not just fentanyl. The committee supported this measure, recognizing its potential to enhance safety for individuals using opioids.

Delegate Henson introduced House Bill 2,573, which clarifies regulations for boxing events, including physician requirements and reporting timelines. The committee recommended the bill, emphasizing the need for flexibility in compliance.

Delegate Hope presented House Bill 16 36, expanding the Safe Haven program to include all Department of Health Professionals licensees, allowing clinicians to seek mental health support without fear of repercussions. The committee unanimously supported the bill.

Finally, Delegate Henson discussed House Bill 2,468, which creates a career path for medication aides in assisted living and nursing facilities. The committee supported this cleanup measure, recognizing its importance for workforce development. Additionally, House Bill 2,489 was introduced to study the expansion of physician assistants' scope of practice, with the committee expressing support for the study.

The meeting concluded with a series of motions to recommend the discussed bills for further consideration, reflecting a strong commitment to enhancing Virginia's healthcare workforce and services.