Firefighter Mental Health Training Program - HB325

Virginia Legislative Events

Published July 1st, 2026

Detected April 7th, 2026

Summary

Virginia enacted HB325 requiring the Department of Fire Programs to develop a standardized two-hour virtual asynchronous mental health awareness training program tailored for firefighters. The bill, signed by the Governor as Chapter 109, takes effect July 1, 2026. Fire departments may use the state-developed training as guidance or create their own equivalent program.

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What changed

Virginia HB325 requires the Department of Fire Programs to create a standardized two-hour virtual asynchronous mental health awareness training program for firefighters by July 1, 2026. The training must cover subject matter set forth in current law. Fire departments have the option to use this standardized program as guidance in developing their own mental health awareness training for personnel.

Affected parties include fire departments across Virginia and firefighters who will receive mental health training. While compliance is not mandatory for individual departments to adopt the state program, the legislation establishes a formal framework and expectation for mental health training in the fire service sector. Fire departments should monitor Department of Fire Programs guidance and determine whether to utilize the standardized program or develop their own training curriculum.

What to do next

Monitor for Department of Fire Programs training program development
Determine whether to adopt state training or develop department-specific program
Prepare for July 1, 2026 effective date

Source document (simplified)

ChangeBridge / Virginia / HB325 Signed by Governor HB325 House Bill Signed by Governor 2026-04-06

Fire Programs, Department of; development of mental health awareness training.

Department of Fire Programs; mental health awareness training. Provides that the Department of Fire Programs shall develop a standardized, two-hour virtual asynchronous training program on mental health awareness tailored to firefighters that includes training on each subject matter set forth in current law. The bill provides the option for each fire department to use such standardized training program as guidance in developing its own mental health awareness training for its personnel. This bill is identical to SB 140.

Bill Details

State Virginia

Session 2026 Regular Regular Session

Chamber House

Official Source lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB325

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Action History

2026-04-06 Approved by Governor-Chapter 109 (effective 7/1/2026) 2026-03-14 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 2026-03-14 H Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 2026-03-11 H Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB325) 2026-03-10 S Signed by President 2026-03-10 H Signed by Speaker 2026-03-10 H Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB325ER) 2026-03-10 H Enrolled 2026-03-03 H Senate substitute agreed to by House (95-Y 3-N 0-A) 2026-02-27 S Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (37-Y 0-N 0-A) 2026-02-27 S Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute 2026-02-27 S Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) 2026-02-27 S Read third time 2026-02-26 S Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) 2026-02-26 S Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) 2026-02-26 S Rules suspended 2026-02-25 S Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) 2026-02-19 H Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB325) 2026-02-19 S Committee substitute printed 26108088D-S1 2026-02-18 S Reported from General Laws and Technology with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (13-Y 0-N) 2026-02-18 S Senate committee offered 2026-02-06 S Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology 2026-02-06 S Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) 2026-02-05 H Read third time and passed House (90-Y 7-N 0-A) 2026-02-04 H Read second time and engrossed 2026-02-03 H Read first time 2026-01-30 H Reported from Appropriations (21-Y 0-N) 2026-01-28 H Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N) 2026-01-26 H Assigned HAPP sub: Transportation & Public Safety 2026-01-23 H Reported from Public Safety and referred to Appropriations (20-Y 2-N) 2026-01-22 H Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 0-N) 2026-01-16 H Assigned HPS sub: Subcommittee #2 2026-01-15 H Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB325) 2026-01-11 H Referred to Committee on Public Safety 2026-01-11 H Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102356D

Votes

2026-01-28 Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N) Yea: 7 Nay: 0 2026-01-30 Reported from Appropriations (21-Y 0-N) Yea: 21 Nay: 0 2026-01-22 Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 0-N) Yea: 7 Nay: 0 2026-01-23 Reported from Public Safety and referred to Appropriations (20-Y 2-N) Yea: 20 Nay: 2 2026-02-05 Read third time and passed House (90-Y 7-N 0-A) Yea: 90 Nay: 7 2026-02-18 Reported from General Laws and Technology with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (13-Y 0-N) Yea: 13 Nay: 0 2026-02-25 Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) Yea: 15 Nay: 0 2026-02-26 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 40 Nay: 0 2026-02-27 Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (37-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 37 Nay: 0 2026-03-03 Senate substitute agreed to by House (95-Y 3-N 0-A) Yea: 95 Nay: 3

Committee Referrals

2026-01-11 H Public Safety 2026-01-16 H Public Safety: Subcommittee #2 2026-01-23 H Appropriations 2026-01-26 H Appropriations: Transportation & Public Safety 2026-02-06 S General Laws and Technology 2026-02-18 S Finance and Appropriations