House Health Professions Subcommittee members reported House Bill 1636 to the full committee on a voice and roll call vote of 8-0, advancing a proposal to broaden an existing safe-haven fatigue-and-wellness program for health professionals.

The bill would extend civil-immunity protections in the current program to persons who participate in fatigue and wellness programs if they are professionals or students whose licenses or registrations are issued by the Department of Health Professions rather than only by the boards of dentistry, medicine, nursing or pharmacy.

Proponents said the measure builds on an already successful program. "We host a safe haven program, the fatigue and wellness program. And we ask you to vote favorably for this. I believe this program has been addressed by you for 4 years in a row and I don't think it's ever had a negative vote in this body," said Scott Johnson, general counsel for the Medical Society of Virginia.

Committee discussion was brief and produced no recorded opposition. The clerk opened the roll for the report; the committee chair recorded the measure as reported on an 8-0 vote.

The bill was presented to the subcommittee by Chairman Hope; public testimony focused on continuing access to peer-support and wellness services for clinicians and trainees. The measure will move to the full committee for further consideration.

The subcommittee’s action was procedural: the committee voted to report the bill to the full Health and Human Services Committee, rather than adopting final statutory language at this stage.