HB 656 VA

0likes☆Favorite🔕SubscribeShare

Became Law

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 SB 524.

• Rodney T. Willett Democratic · primary

1. Jan 13, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104547D · lower
2. Jan 13, 2026 Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services · lower
3. Jan 21, 2026 Assigned sub: Behavioral Health · lower
4. Feb 4, 2026 House subcommittee offered · lower
5. Feb 5, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 1-N) · lower
6. Feb 5, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB656) · lower
7. Feb 10, 2026 Reported from Health and Human Services with substitute (21-Y 1-N) · lower
8. Feb 10, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26106935D-H1 · lower
9. Feb 12, 2026 Read first time · lower
10. Feb 13, 2026 Read second time · lower
11. Feb 13, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
12. Feb 13, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
13. Feb 16, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB656) · lower
14. Feb 16, 2026 Read third time and passed House (95-Y 3-N 0-A) · lower
15. Feb 17, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) · upper
16. Feb 17, 2026 Referred to Committee on Education and Health · upper
17. Feb 26, 2026 Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) · upper
18. Feb 27, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26108828D-S1 · upper
19. Mar 3, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB656) · lower
20. Mar 6, 2026 Reported from Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N) · upper
21. Mar 9, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
22. Mar 9, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
23. Mar 9, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
24. Mar 10, 2026 Read third time · upper
25. Mar 10, 2026 Education and Health Substitute agreed to · upper
26. Mar 10, 2026 Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute · upper
27. Mar 10, 2026 Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
28. Mar 11, 2026 Senate substitute agreed to by House (92-Y 6-N 0-A) · lower
29. Mar 30, 2026 Enrolled · lower
30. Mar 30, 2026 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB656ER) · lower
31. Mar 30, 2026 Signed by President · upper
32. Mar 31, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB656) · lower
33. Mar 31, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
34. Mar 31, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 · lower
35. Mar 31, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
36. Apr 13, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 652 (Effective - see bill) · executive
37. Apr 13, 2026 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0652) · executive

The published texts of this bill as it moves through the legislature. Each links to the official document on the state legislature site. Data from OpenStates.

• Chaptered · PDF
• Chaptered · HTML
• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · HTML
• Education and Health Substitute · PDF
• Education and Health Substitute · HTML
• Health and Human Services Substitute · PDF
• Health and Human Services Substitute · HTML
• Health and Human Services Substitute · PDF
• Health and Human Services Substitute · HTML
• Behavioral Health Subcommittee Substitute · PDF
• Behavioral Health Subcommittee Substitute · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML