ChangeBridge / Virginia / SB524 Signed by Governor
SB524 Senate Bill
Signed by Governor
2026-03-30

Mental health & substance abuse disorders; network adequacy standards, comparative analyses, report.

Mental health and substance abuse disorders; network adequacy standards; comparative analyses; report; emergency regulations. Directs the Department of Health to issue regulations that include quantitative network adequacy standards for timely access to care, travel time, and geographical distance that are at least as stringent as those imposed for qualified health plans and qualified dental plans. The bill amends the definitions of "mental health services" and "substance abuse services" for the purposes of health insurance coverage.The bill requires health carriers to submit all comparative analyses prepared pursuant to federal law to the Bureau of Insurance on the date and frequency as specified by the Bureau and includes additional information to include in such submission. Under the bill, the Bureau may impose a penalty not to exceed $100,000 for a noncompliant or insufficient comparative analysis or require a carrier to remove, revise, or remedy noncompliant treatment limitations. The bill also amends the contents of the annual report submitted by the Bureau to the General Assembly to cover enforcement efforts with respect to the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.The bill authorizes the Bureau to promulgate regulations as necessary to implement the provisions of the bill and directs the Department of Health to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. The bill directs the Department of Human Resource Management to evaluate the impact of the proposed changes to the provisions of the bill related to health insurance. The provisions of the bill related to health insurance have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 656.

Bill Details

State

Virginia

Session

2026 Regular Regular Session

Chamber

Senate

Official Source

lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB524

LegiScan

View on LegiScan

Sponsors

Creigh Deeds (Sen - D)

Action History

2026-03-31 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-31 S Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
2026-03-31 H Signed by Speaker
2026-03-31 S Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB524)
2026-03-30 S Signed by President
2026-03-30 S Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB524ER)
2026-03-30 S Enrolled
2026-03-13 H Conference report agreed to by House (93-Y 1-N 0-A)
2026-03-13 S Conference report agreed to by Senate (38-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-12 Conference Report released
2026-03-11 H House Conferees: Willett, Gardner, Cherry
2026-03-11 H Conferees appointed by House
2026-03-06 S Senate Conferees: Deeds, Favola, Pillion
2026-03-06 S Conferees appointed by Senate
2026-03-06 S Senate acceded to request (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-04 H House requested conference committee
2026-03-04 H House insisted on substitute
2026-03-03 S House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A)
2026-02-27 H Passed House with substitute (92-Y 4-N 0-A)
2026-02-27 H Engrossed by House - committee substitute
2026-02-27 H committee substitute agreed to
2026-02-27 H Read third time
2026-02-26 H Read second time
2026-02-25 S Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB524)
2026-02-24 H Committee substitute printed 26108521D-H1
2026-02-24 H Reported from Health and Human Services with substitute (21-Y 0-N 1-A)
2026-02-19 H Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services
2026-02-19 H Read first time
2026-02-19 H Placed on Calendar
2026-02-17 S Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB524)
2026-02-16 S Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-16 S Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-16 S Rules suspended
2026-02-16 S Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-16 S Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to
2026-02-16 S Education and Health Substitute rejected
2026-02-16 S Read second time
2026-02-13 S Committee substitute printed 26107859D-S2
2026-02-13 S Passed by for the day
2026-02-13 S Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB524)
2026-02-13 S Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (35-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-13 S Rules suspended
2026-02-12 S Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (13-Y 0-N)
2026-02-06 S Committee substitute printed 26107207D-S1
2026-02-05 S Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB524)
2026-02-05 S Senate committee offered
2026-02-05 S Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
2026-02-03 S Senate subcommittee offered
2026-01-27 S Assigned Education sub: Health
2026-01-13 S Referred to Committee on Education and Health
2026-01-13 S Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102638D

Votes

2026-02-05 Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) Yea: 15 Nay: 0
2026-02-12 Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (13-Y 0-N) Yea: 13 Nay: 0
2026-02-13 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (35-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 35 Nay: 0
2026-02-16 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 39 Nay: 0
2026-02-16 Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 39 Nay: 0
2026-02-24 Reported from Health and Human Services with substitute (21-Y 0-N 1-A) Yea: 21 Nay: 0
2026-02-27 Passed House with substitute (92-Y 4-N 0-A) Yea: 92 Nay: 4
2026-03-03 House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A) Yea: 0 Nay: 40
2026-03-06 Senate acceded to request (40-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 40 Nay: 0
2026-03-13 Conference report agreed to by House (93-Y 1-N 0-A) Yea: 93 Nay: 1
2026-03-13 Conference report agreed to by Senate (38-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 38 Nay: 0

Committee Referrals

2026-01-13 S Education and Health
2026-01-27 S Education: Health
2026-02-05 S Finance and Appropriations
2026-02-19 H Health and Human Services

Bill Text Versions

2026-01-13 Introduced
2026-02-03 Comm Sub
2026-02-05 Comm Sub
2026-02-06 Comm Sub
2026-02-13 Comm Sub
2026-02-24 Comm Sub
2026-03-30 Enrolled

Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)