Peer recovery specialists; VDH & DOC to develop guidelines for hiring.
Summary
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 SB 608.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 7, 2026
Signed Apr 6, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons
What changed between versions
Enrolled
→
Chaptered
·
3 edits
MINOR
The bill was formally enacted into law as Chapter 90 of the 2026 Virginia Acts of Assembly. The substantive policy text regarding the hiring of peer recovery specialists with criminal convictions remains identical, but the document now includes official approval dates and chapter numbers.
Scope change
The bill's scope and applicability are unchanged; it continues to direct the Departments of Health and Corrections to create hiring guidelines for peer recovery specialists.
TECHNICAL
Added official chapter number (Chapter 90) and the specific approval date (April 6, 2026) to formalize the bill as law.
Removed the preliminary session header and the word 'Enrolled' to reflect the bill's transition from a proposed state to an enacted act.
Reformatted the text layout and line breaks to match the standard style of enacted Virginia legislation.
Floor votes · Senate Mar 3, 2026 · House of Delegates Feb 17, 2026
How they voted
39–0
Passed
Total votes 39
Mar 3, 2026
D
Democratic20
100% Yea
R
Republican19
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
31
Key actions
12
Committee
8
Amendments
2
Apr 6, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 90 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive
Mar 10, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 10, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 10, 2026
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB209ER)
lower
Mar 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
upper
Mar 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
upper
Feb 27, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services (15-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 26, 2026
Committee
Rereferred from Education and Health to Rehabilitation and Social Services (13-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 18, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Education and Health
upper
Feb 17, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House (97-Y 0-N 0-A)
lower
Feb 16, 2026
Introduced
Engrossed by House as amended
lower
Feb 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
committee amendment agreed to
lower
Feb 12, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from Health and Human Services with amendment(s) (21-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 10, 2026
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (10-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 10, 2026
Lower · Passed
House subcommittee offered
lower
Jan 16, 2026
Committee
Assigned sub: Health Professions
lower
Jan 7, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services
lower
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Cia Price
DDemocratic
Co
Katrina Callsen
DDemocratic
Co
Virgil Thornton
DDemocratic
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