Peer Recovery Specialists Hiring Guidelines - VDH and DOC to Develop Guidelines for Hiring Individuals with Criminal Convictions
Summary
Virginia enacted SB608 directing the Department of Health and Department of Corrections to develop agency guidelines for hiring peer recovery specialists who have previous criminal convictions. The bill was signed by the Governor as Chapter 91 and becomes effective July 1, 2026. The legislation passed unanimously in both chambers (40-0 in Senate, 98-0 in House) as a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care.
What changed
Virginia SB608 requires the Department of Health and Department of Corrections to develop formal guidelines authorizing the hiring of peer recovery specialists with prior criminal convictions for compensated state employment. The bill creates a framework to evaluate and employ individuals with criminal histories in peer recovery roles, potentially removing blanket disqualifications that previously existed. Affected parties include state agencies subject to the directive, individuals with criminal records seeking reentry employment in peer recovery services, and peer recovery organizations that may benefit from expanded hiring pools. The bill passed with unanimous legislative support.
Implications include potential changes to background check and hiring review processes within VDH and DOC, expanded employment opportunities for people with criminal convictions in public health and corrections settings, and increased workforce capacity in peer recovery services. Private employers and nonprofits working in similar spaces may look to state guidelines as a model for their own hiring practices.
What to do next
- Monitor for VDH and DOC guideline releases before July 1, 2026 effective date
- Review existing hiring policies for criminal history disqualifications that may need updating
- Prepare implementation plans for expanded candidate pools in peer recovery specialist roles
Archived snapshot
Apr 9, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
ChangeBridge / Virginia / SB608 Enacted SB608 Senate Bill Enacted 2026-04-06
Peer recovery specialists; VDH & DOC to develop guidelines for hiring.
Department of Health; Department of Corrections; peer recovery specialists. Directs the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Corrections to develop agency guidelines for hiring peer recovery specialists with previous criminal convictions for compensated employment. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care. This bill is identical to HB 209.
Bill Details
State Virginia
Session 2026 Regular Regular Session
Chamber Senate
Official Source lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB608
LegiScan View on LegiScan
Sponsors
Todd Pillion (Sen - R) Adam Ebbin (Sen - D) Tammy Brankley Mulchi (Sen - R)
Action History
2026-04-06 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0091) 2026-04-06 Approved by Governor-Chapter 91 (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 2026-02-26 S Signed by President 2026-02-26 H Signed by Speaker 2026-02-26 S Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB608) 2026-02-26 S Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB608ER) 2026-02-26 S Enrolled 2026-02-24 H Passed House (98-Y 0-N 0-A) 2026-02-24 H Read third time 2026-02-23 H Read second time 2026-02-19 H Reported from Health and Human Services (21-Y 0-N) 2026-02-13 S Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB608) 2026-02-04 H Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services 2026-02-04 H Read first time 2026-02-04 H Placed on Calendar 2026-01-28 S Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) 2026-01-27 S Engrossed by Senate as amended Block Vote (Voice Vote) 2026-01-27 S Rehabilitation and Social Services Amendment agreed to 2026-01-27 S Read second time 2026-01-26 S Passed by for the day 2026-01-26 S Passed by for the day 2026-01-26 S Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) 2026-01-26 S Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (38-Y 0-N 0-A) 2026-01-26 S Read first time 2026-01-23 S Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB608) 2026-01-23 S Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with amendment (15-Y 0-N) 2026-01-23 S Senate committee offered 2026-01-14 S Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services 2026-01-14 S Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102529D
Votes
2026-01-23 Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with amendment (15-Y 0-N) Yea: 15 Nay: 0 2026-01-26 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (38-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 38 Nay: 0 2026-01-28 Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 40 Nay: 0 2026-02-19 Reported from Health and Human Services (21-Y 0-N) Yea: 21 Nay: 0 2026-02-24 Passed House (98-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 98 Nay: 0
Committee Referrals
2026-01-14 S Rehabilitation and Social Services 2026-02-04 H Health and Human Services
Amendments
0000-00-00 Rehabilitation and Social Services Amendment 0000-00-00 Rehabilitation and Social Services Amendment
Bill Text Versions
2026-01-14 Introduced 2026-01-27 Engrossed 2026-02-26 Enrolled 2026-04-06 Chaptered Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)
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