The Senate Health Subcommittee in Richmond on an expedited voice vote on multiple health-related measures recommended reporting to the full committee bills that would change pharmacist roles, prescription-monitoring rules, health workforce licensing and create a new pediatric day-care clinical option.

Those advances included an amendment clarifying that pharmacists may prescribe controlled substances under Board of Pharmacy collaborative-practice agreements; a housekeeping bill aligning Virginia drug schedules with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration; a bill to allow substance-abuse clinics to submit prescription-monitoring-program (PMP) data when a patient authorizes it (with a two-year delayed implementation); and workforce bills to expand training and licensing pathways for nurses, speech-language pathology assistants, social workers and physician-assistant practice studies. The subcommittee recommended reporting all measures to the full committee.

Why it matters: the measures touch clinical access, workforce shortages and substance-use monitoring. Sponsors and witnesses told the panel that the bills are intended to reduce delays in treatment, increase the pool of qualified clinicians and provide new care options for medically complex children while preserving patient authorization and regulatory oversight.

Most important actions

- HB 1582: Pharmacist collaborative-practice agreements — Sponsor said the bill, as amended, makes explicit that pharmacists may prescribe controlled substances under a collaborative agreement with authorized prescribers, a change prompted by DEA concerns about earlier language. The subcommittee recommended reporting the bill to the full committee (roll: Senators Boyceau, Pilliod, Bagby and Head voted yea; one member did not record a vote).

- HB 1587: State drug scheduling alignment — The bill updates Virginia’s controlled-substances schedules to conform with federal DEA assignments. The subcommittee recommended reporting (yeas recorded by Sen. Boyceau, Sen. Pilliod, Sen. Bagby and Sen. Head).

- HB 2649: Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) and substance-abuse clinics — The bill would allow substance-abuse clinics to submit PMP data when a patient authorizes it; sponsors added an 18–24 month implementation delay so clinics can obtain and configure reporting software. The subcommittee recommended reporting (yeas recorded by Sen. Boyceau, Sen. Pilliod, Sen. Bagby and Sen. Head).

- HB 1860: Nursing-student clinical cap waiver — The bill permits nursing schools to apply to the Board of Nursing for a waiver to increase the current cap from 10 to up to 15 students per faculty member under specified conditions meant to preserve safety; supporters framed it as a temporary workforce response. The subcommittee recommended reporting (yeas recorded by Sen. Boyceau, Sen. Pilliod, Sen. Bagby, Sen. Head and Sen. Piekarski/Pokarski as recorded).

- HB 1877: Peer recovery specialists and fines — The bill removes a requirement that state-employed peer recovery specialists must have all court fines and fees paid before employment; sponsors and recovery community witnesses said the change would allow certified peer recovery specialists who meet other requirements (off probation, training completed) to be hired while continuing to pay restitution. Public testimony included Michael Sizemore of the Substance Abuse & Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia and Karen Grant, a peer specialist who described working while repaying fines. The subcommittee recommended reporting (yeas recorded by five members present in the roll calls).

- HB 1897: Master of social work and QMHP pathway — The bill would allow master’s-level social workers (not pursuing clinical licensure) to qualify as registered qualified mental health professionals (QMHPs). The National Association of Social Workers provided support. The subcommittee recommended reporting.

- HB 2040 (substitute): Speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs) — The substitute adds SLPAs under the Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, removes an American Speech-Language-Hearing Association certification requirement in line with recent regulation, clarifies direct/indirect supervision, and caps a supervision ratio at three SLPAs per one SLP. The subcommittee recommended reporting.

- HB 2198: Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care (PPAC) centers — The bill establishes a nonresidential day-care option for medically dependent children, specifying staffing and scope. A pediatric registered nurse testified that PPACs are reimbursable by Medicaid and can lower costs by bundling services; the sponsor said initial funding estimated at about $1 million is part of this year’s budget plans. The subcommittee recommended reporting.

- HB 2307: Buprenorphine (X-waiver cleanup) and pharmacy technician training — The bill removes obsolete statutory references to the federal X-waiver and expands recognized pharmacy technician training programs. The subcommittee recommended reporting.

- HB 2378: Drug returns by manufacturers — The bill would require manufacturers to implement drug-return provisions that make expired products eligible for return and therapeutic interchange, a change supporters said can ease cash-flow pressure on pharmacies. The subcommittee recommended reporting.

- HB 2319: Drug-checking devices and paraphernalia — The bill broadens an exception for testing equipment so that devices that check for opioids generally are not criminalized; sponsor said the change expands access to drug-checking tools for harm reduction. The subcommittee recommended reporting.

- HB 2573: Boxing regulatory clarifications — The bill adjusts definitions and reporting timelines for boxing events and shortens the experience requirement for ringside physicians from five years to three. The subcommittee recommended reporting.

- HB 1636: Safe Haven program expansion — The bill would expand eligibility for the state’s clinician “Safe Haven” program to all Department of Health Professions licensees, allowing clinicians to seek support for burnout and mental-health issues without license repercussions. The subcommittee recommended reporting.

- HB 2468 and HB 2489: Medication-aide career path and PA scope study — HB 2468 cleans up a statute that creates a career path for medication aides in assisted-living and nursing facilities; HB 2489 directs the Department of Health Professions to study potential expansion of physician-assistant scope of practice and provide a report by Nov. 1, 2025. Both were recommended for reporting.

Votes at a glance

(Displayed as reported to the subcommittee; vote tallies reflect the roll-call responses recorded in the hearing.)
- HB 1582 — Recommended to report (yeas: Sen. Boyceau, Sen. Pilliod, Sen. Bagby, Sen. Head; recorded tally: 4–0).
- HB 1587 — Recommended to report (recorded tally: 4–0).
- HB 2649 — Recommended to report (recorded tally: 4–0); includes two-year delayed implementation for reporting software.
- HB 1860 — Recommended to report (recorded tally: 5–0 where recorded).
- HB 1877 — Recommended to report (recorded tally: 5–0).
- HB 1897 — Recommended to report (recorded tally: 5–0).
- HB 2040 (substitute) — Recommended to report (recorded tally: 5–0).
- HB 2198 — Recommended to report (recorded tally: 5–0).
- HB 2307 — Recommended to report (recorded tally: 5–0).
- HB 2378 — Recommended to report (recorded tally: 4–0 with one abstention recorded in a different item context).
- HB 2319 — Recommended to report (recorded tally: 5–0).
- HB 2573 — Recommended to report (recorded tally: 5–0).
- HB 1636 — Recommended to report (recorded tally: 5–0).
- HB 2468 — Recommended to report (recorded tally: 5–0).
- HB 2489 — Recommended to report (recorded tally: 5–0).

What witnesses said (selected quotes)
- Emily Moore, Voices for Virginia’s Children: "We thank the patron for bringing this forward and I hope that you support as well." (public support for the sickle-cell/unconscious-bias-related bill)
- Michael Sizemore, Substance Abuse & Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia: "It's a big victory for the recovery community." (on HB 1877 removing fines/fees barrier for peer recovery specialists)
- Britney Jordan, pediatric RN: "PPAC lowers cost by bundling these services into a daily rate per patient…" (on HB 2198)

Context and next steps

All recommended bills will be transmitted to the full Senate committee for consideration. Several measures depend on administrative rules, technology changes (PMP reporting) or budget allocations (PPAC funding) before they would be fully implemented.

Taper: The subcommittee concluded its business and the panel rose after the roll calls; the measures will proceed through the normal committee and floor processes.