SB 838 Virginia Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Recovery residences; certification required penalty, report.

Summary
Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; recovery residences; certification required; penalty; work group. Changes the existing civil penalty for a violation of law related to the operation of recovery residences to a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill allows the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to issue conditional certification to certain recovery residences. The bill also directs the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a work group to (i) make recommendations related to oversight and transparency for recovery residences and (ii) develop credentialing guidelines for recovery residences. The bill directs the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly by November 1, 2025.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House of Delegates Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
Apr 2025
Introduced Jan 2, 2025 Signed Apr 2, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

Reenrolled Chaptered · 3 edits
MINOR
This bill was formally enacted into law (Chaptered) after being reenrolled, converting it from a proposed bill to an official Virginia statute. The substantive content of the law regarding recovery residence certification and oversight remains unchanged from the reenrolled version, with only formatting adjustments and page numbering added during the final chaptering process.
TECHNICAL

Added official chapter designation (Chapter 608) and approval date (April 2, 2025) to convert the bill from proposed legislation to enacted law.

Adjusted page numbering and formatting to reflect the final enacted version, including page 2 of 2 notation.

Removed reenrollment session headers and added final chapter formatting consistent with Virginia Acts of Assembly publication standards.

Floor votes · Senate Jan 30, 2025 · House of Delegates Feb 19, 2025

How they voted

390
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 40
Jan 30, 2025
D Democratic21
20 Yea 1
95% Yea
R Republican19
19 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
50
Key actions
17
Committee
10
Amendments
5
Apr 2, 2025
Signed into law
Governor's recommendation adopted
executive
Apr 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
House concurred in Governor's recommendation (93-Y 0-N)
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (40-Y 0-N)
upper
Mar 24, 2025
Vetoed
Governor's recommendation received by Senate
executive
Mar 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB838ER)
upper
Feb 20, 2025
Upper · Passed
House Amendments agreed to by Senate (38-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed House with amendments (97-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Introduced
Engrossed by House as amended
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Health and Human Services Amendments agreed to
lower
Feb 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported from Appropriations (21-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 13, 2025
Committee
Assigned Approps sub: Health & Human Resources
lower
Feb 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported from Health and Human Services with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 11, 2025
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations (8-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 6, 2025
Committee
Assigned sub: Behavioral Health
lower
Feb 6, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services
lower
Feb 3, 2025
Upper · Passed
Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)
upper
Jan 31, 2025
Upper · Passed
Finance and Appropriations Amendment agreed to
upper
Jan 31, 2025
Introduced
Reading of amendment waived
upper
Jan 30, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day
upper
Jan 29, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported from Finance and Appropriations with amendment (15-Y 0-N)
upper
Jan 24, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (13-Y 1-N 1-A)
upper
Jan 16, 2025
Committee
Rereferred from Education and Health to Rehabilitation and Social Services (14-Y 0-N)
upper
Jan 2, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Education and Health
upper
1 primary · 3 co-sponsors

Sponsors