Healthcare (Women's Health)

passed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HJ 287: Commending Birth in Color.

This bill is a commendation resolution that formally recognizes the importance of the "Birth in Color" initiative, which aims to reduce racial disparities in maternal health outcomes. It does not create new laws or change policy but serves to acknowledge and support existing efforts to improve birth equity for people of color. The resolution is symbolic and does not affect funding, regulations, or specific programs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill supports maternal health equity initiatives and acknowledges efforts to reduce racial disparities in healthcare outcomes75% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

Track

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 596: Contraception; definitions, establishes right to obtain, applicability, enforcement.

Contraception; right to contraception; applicability; enforcement. Establishes a right to obtain contraceptives and engage in contraception, as such terms are defined in the bill. The bill clarifies that none of its provisions shall be construed to permit or sanction the performance of any sterilization procedure without a patient's voluntary and informed consent. The bill creates a cause of action that may be instituted against anyone who infringes on such right. This bill is identical to HB 6.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes legal right to contraceptives, protecting access to a core healthcare service and patient rights per bill's enforcement provisions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 18, 2026

HB 1428: Pregnant women; SHHR to establish website to provide services and programs available.

Secretary of Health and Human Resources; State Health Commissioner; website; services and programs available to pregnant women. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Resources (the Secretary) and the State Health Commissioner, by July 1, 2027, to establish, maintain, and annually update a website that provides information about public and private agencies, services, and programs available to pregnant women. The bill specifies that the website shall include a portal that allows users to receive specifically tailored pregnancy information and provides for the submission of feedback on how user-friendly and helpful the portal was in providing such specifically tailored information. The bill requires the Secretary to submit a report to the General Assembly, no later than 180 days after the website and portal are established, on (i) the traffic on the website and portal; (ii) user feedback submitted regarding the website and portal; (iii) any identified gaps in services for pregnant and postpartum women, including any missing resources helpful to include in future updates; and (iv) recommendations on how to improve the user experience based upon user feedback.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates website providing info on healthcare services for pregnant women, improving access to existing programs and enhancing patient information availability.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

Track

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 18, 2026

HB 542: Abortion; informed written consent, newborn safety devices.

Provision of abortion; informed written consent; newborn safety devices. Requires the physician or advanced practice registered nurse authorized to perform an abortion, induction, or termination to provide certain written information regarding newborn safety devices for the purposes of effectuating a pregnant woman's informed written consent prior to the abortion, induction, or termination. The bill directs the Department of Health to publish by October 1, 2026, in English and in each language that is the primary language of two percent or more of the population of the Commonwealth, such information relating to newborn safety devices in such a way as to ensure that the information is easily comprehensible.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRequires additional consent steps for abortions, restricting access to reproductive healthcare services85% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Women's Health

Track

vetoed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 11, 2026

HB 1182: Health insurance; coverage for contraceptive drugs & devices, including over-the-counter.

Health insurance; coverage for contraceptive drugs and devices. Requires health insurance carriers to provide coverage, under any health insurance contract, policy, or plan that includes coverage for prescription drugs on an outpatient basis, for contraceptive drugs and contraceptive devices approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, including those available over-the-counter. The bill prohibits a health insurance carrier from imposing upon any person receiving prescription contraceptive benefits pursuant to the provisions of the bill any copayment, coinsurance payment, or fee, except in certain circumstances. Additionally, the bill requires any health benefit plan that provides coverage for hormonal contraceptives to provide point-of-sale coverage without cost-sharing at in-network pharmacies for hormonal contraceptives available over-the-counter. This bill is identical to SB 361.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates health insurance coverage for contraceptives (including over-the-counter), expanding access and prohibiting restrictions on benefits, directly advancing healthcare coverage.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates health insurance coverage for contraceptives, expanding employee healthcare benefits as part of workplace health standards.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Prescription Drugs Women's Health

Track

signed · Virginia · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 449: Constitutional amendment; fundamental right to reproductive freedom(submitting to qualified voters).

Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); fundamental right to reproductive freedom. Provides for a referendum at the November 3, 2026, election to approve or reject an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia relating to the right to make one's own decisions related to reproductive health care, including access to abortion. The amendment protects patients and their doctors and nurses from being punished for making such decisions. The amendment allows the state to place restrictions on access to abortion during the third trimester of pregnancy except when the patient's life or physical or mental health is at risk or the pregnancy cannot survive. This bill is identical to HB 781.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects patient rights and access to reproductive health care, directly advancing healthcare access and rights under the topic description.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Women's Health

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 11, 2026

HB 781: Constitutional amendment; fundamental right to reproductive freedom(submitting to qualified voters).

Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); fundamental right to reproductive freedom. Provides for a referendum at the November 3, 2026, election to approve or reject an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia relating to the right to make one's own decisions related to reproductive health care, including access to abortion. The amendment protects patients and their doctors and nurses from being punished for making such decisions. The amendment allows the state to place restrictions on access to abortion during the third trimester of pregnancy except when the patient's life or physical or mental health is at risk or the pregnancy cannot survive. This bill is identical to SB 449.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects abortion access as reproductive healthcare, explicitly shielding patients/providers from punishment, aligning with patient rights and service protection in healthcare.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Women's Health

vetoed · Virginia · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 137: Obstructing health care facility access; penalties.

Obstructing reproductive health care facility; penalties. Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person who (i) by force or threat of force, or by physical obstruction, intentionally injures, intimidates, or interferes with, or attempts to injure, intimidate, or interfere with, another person because such other person is or has been, or in order to intimidate such person or any other person or any class of persons from, obtaining or providing reproductive health services, defined in the bill, or (ii) intentionally damages or destroys, or attempts to damage or destroy, a reproductive health care facility, defined in the bill, because such facility provides reproductive health services. The bill also provides that the provisions of the bill shall not be construed to place any restriction on the content of any message that anyone may wish to communicate to anyone else, either inside or outside the regulated areas.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new misdemeanor offenses for obstructing health care access, expanding criminalization and aligning with 'oppose' indicators.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcarePrevents obstruction of healthcare facility access, protecting patient entry/exit rights per bill's misdemeanor penalties for unauthorized obstruction.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

Track

in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 721: Maternal Health Monitoring Pilot Program; established, report.

Maternal Health Monitoring Pilot Program established; report. Directs the Department of Health to implement the Maternal Health Monitoring Pilot Program that provides for remote patient monitoring for maternal hypertension and maternal diabetes. The bill requires the Department to select a managed care organization and technology vendor to administer the Pilot Program and to submit a report to the Governor and General Assembly no later than 18 months after the first eligible participant is enrolled in the Pilot Program.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes remote maternal health monitoring for hypertension/diabetes, improving access to care and strengthening maternal health services through a pilot program.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

Track

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 1400: Health insurance; coverage for maternal mental health screenings.

Health insurance; coverage for maternal mental health screenings. Requires health insurance carriers to provide coverage for maternal mental health screenings. The bill requires such coverage to include at least one maternal mental health screening to be conducted during pregnancy, at least one additional screening to be conducted during the first six weeks of the postpartum period, and additional medically necessary postpartum screenings. Additionally, the bill provides that coverage for a prescription drug for the treatment of a maternal mental health condition shall not be subject to prior authorization requirements unless there are clinically significant safety or efficacy concerns.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for maternal mental health screenings during pregnancy and postpartum, expanding access to critical mental health services.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill mandates health insurance coverage for maternal mental health screenings, expanding worker benefits and protecting employee well-being.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Mental Health Women's Health