ChangeBridge / Virginia / SB738 Signed by Governor
SB738 Senate Bill
Signed by Governor
2026-04-06

Hospitals; emergency department physicians.

Hospitals; psychiatric emergency departments. Allows hospitals with psychiatric emergency departments located in the City of Hampton to operate without a physician on duty when certain conditions are met, including having written agreements in place with emergency medical service providers and being immediately adjacent to a non-psychiatric emergency department. The bill requires such psychiatric emergency departments to submit treatment data to the General Assembly on an annual basis by November 1. This bill is identical to HB 1318.

Bill Details

State

Virginia

Session

2026 Regular Regular Session

Chamber

Senate

Official Source

lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB738

LegiScan

View on LegiScan

Sponsors

Emily Brewer (Sen - R)

Action History

2026-04-06 Approved by Governor-Chapter 297 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-06 Approved by Governor-Chapter 297 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-03-10 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-10 S Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
2026-03-04 S Signed by President
2026-03-04 H Signed by Speaker
2026-03-04 S Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB738)
2026-03-04 S Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB738ER)
2026-03-04 S Enrolled
2026-02-27 H Passed House (92-Y 4-N 0-A)
2026-02-27 H Read third time
2026-02-26 H Read second time
2026-02-24 H Reported from Health and Human Services (20-Y 2-N)
2026-02-24 H Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services
2026-02-24 H Read first time
2026-02-24 H Placed on Calendar
2026-02-22 S Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB738)
2026-02-17 S Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-16 S Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote)
2026-02-16 S Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)
2026-02-16 S Read second time
2026-02-13 S Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-13 S Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (36-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-13 S Rules suspended
2026-02-12 S Committee substitute printed 26106705D-S1
2026-02-12 S Senate committee offered
2026-02-12 S Reported from Education and Health with substitute (14-Y 0-N 1-A)
2026-02-06 S Senate subcommittee offered
2026-02-06 S Assigned Education sub: Health Professions
2026-01-22 S Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB738)
2026-01-16 S Referred to Committee on Education and Health
2026-01-16 S Presented and ordered printed 26104945D

Votes

2026-02-12 Reported from Education and Health with substitute (14-Y 0-N 1-A) Yea: 14 Nay: 0
2026-02-13 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (36-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 36 Nay: 0
2026-02-17 Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 40 Nay: 0
2026-02-24 Reported from Health and Human Services (20-Y 2-N) Yea: 20 Nay: 2
2026-02-27 Passed House (92-Y 4-N 0-A) Yea: 92 Nay: 4

Committee Referrals

2026-01-16 S Education and Health
2026-02-06 S Education: Health Professions
2026-02-24 H Health and Human Services

Bill Text Versions

2026-01-16 Introduced
2026-02-06 Comm Sub
2026-02-12 Comm Sub
2026-03-04 Enrolled

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