SB 524 VA

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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 HB 656.

• R. Creigh Deeds Democratic · primary

1. Jan 13, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102638D · upper
2. Jan 13, 2026 Referred to Committee on Education and Health · upper
3. Jan 27, 2026 Assigned Education sub: Health · upper
4. Feb 3, 2026 Senate subcommittee offered · upper
5. Feb 5, 2026 Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) · upper
6. Feb 5, 2026 Senate committee offered · upper
7. Feb 5, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB524) · upper
8. Feb 6, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26107207D-S1 · upper
9. Feb 12, 2026 Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (13-Y 0-N) · upper
10. Feb 13, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
11. Feb 13, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (35-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
12. Feb 13, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB524) · upper
13. Feb 13, 2026 Passed by for the day · upper
14. Feb 13, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26107859D-S2 · upper
15. Feb 16, 2026 Read second time · upper
16. Feb 16, 2026 Education and Health Substitute rejected · upper
17. Feb 16, 2026 Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to · upper
18. Feb 16, 2026 Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
19. Feb 16, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
20. Feb 16, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
21. Feb 16, 2026 Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
22. Feb 17, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB524) · upper
23. Feb 19, 2026 Placed on Calendar · lower
24. Feb 19, 2026 Read first time · lower
25. Feb 19, 2026 Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services · lower
26. Feb 24, 2026 Reported from Health and Human Services with substitute (21-Y 0-N 1-A) · lower
27. Feb 24, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26108521D-H1 · lower
28. Feb 25, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB524) · upper
29. Feb 26, 2026 Read second time · lower
30. Feb 27, 2026 Read third time · lower
31. Feb 27, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
32. Feb 27, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
33. Feb 27, 2026 Passed House with substitute (92-Y 4-N 0-A) · lower
34. Mar 3, 2026 House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A) · upper
35. Mar 4, 2026 House insisted on substitute · lower
36. Mar 4, 2026 House requested conference committee · lower
37. Mar 6, 2026 Senate acceded to request (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
38. Mar 6, 2026 Conferees appointed by Senate · upper
39. Mar 6, 2026 Senate Conferees: Deeds, Favola, Pillion · upper
40. Mar 11, 2026 Conferees appointed by House · lower
41. Mar 11, 2026 House Conferees: Willett, Gardner, Cherry · lower
42. Mar 12, 2026 Conference Report released · legislature
43. Mar 13, 2026 Conference report agreed to by Senate (38-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
44. Mar 13, 2026 Conference report agreed to by House (93-Y 1-N 0-A) · lower
45. Mar 30, 2026 Enrolled · upper
46. Mar 30, 2026 Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB524ER) · upper
47. Mar 30, 2026 Signed by President · upper
48. Mar 31, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB524) · upper
49. Mar 31, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
50. Mar 31, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 · upper
51. Mar 31, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
52. Apr 13, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 653 (effective 7/1/2026) · executive
53. Apr 13, 2026 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0653) · 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
• Conference Report · HTML
• Health and Human Services Substitute · PDF
• Health and Human Services Substitute · HTML
• Finance and Appropriations Substitute · PDF
• Finance and Appropriations Substitute · HTML
• Education and Health Substitute · PDF
• Education and Health Substitute · HTML
• Education and Health Substitute · PDF
• Education and Health Substitute · HTML
• Education and Health Substitute · PDF
• Education and Health Substitute · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML