House health subcommittee reports multiple health, maternal‑care and foster‑care bills; several tabled over fiscal concerns

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Resources met to consider dozens of measures affecting long‑term care transparency, emergency food response, foster‑care protections and maternal‑health services. Members reported several bills with substitutes and gently laid several others on the table, often citing fiscal concerns.

Delegate Navarre presented a substitute to HB 11 16 to codify the Virginia Department of Health’s nursing‑home information portal and make it easier to find from VDH’s homepage, seeking to preserve inspection and enforcement information online. "What I'd like to what I'd like to do is codify it and ensure it is more accessible from VDH's homepage," the sponsor said. Committee staff said the department estimated an ongoing fiscal impact of about $140,000 a year and one staff position to manage portal data. After adopting a line amendment and a brief discussion about scope and cost, the subcommittee voted to gently lay HB 11 16 on the table (motion carries 6 to nothing).

Delegate Anthony described HB 610, the Commonwealth Food Security and Coordination Act, as a framework to coordinate statewide emergency food response so distributions can be activated within 24 to 72 hours and to avoid ad‑hoc, improvised solutions. "It does ensure emergency food distribution that can be activated within 24 to 72 hours," the patron said. The committee moved to table HB 610 (vote 7 to nothing).

Several foster‑care bills drew emotional testimony and brief debate. Delegate Doug Glass said HB 578 would require local departments of social services to preserve federal benefits for eligible foster children in trusts rather than allowing the benefits to be used only for immediate care, saying the Commonwealth "is currently... taking over $3,000,000 from children that belongs to them." The committee gently laid HB 578 on the table (vote 7 to nothing). A related bill, HB 76, scaled to a pilot estimated at approximately $200,000 to prevent children’s belongings being transported in trash bags, was also tabled (vote 7 to nothing).

The subcommittee did report several health‑related measures. HB 4 25, which narrows and clarifies Medicaid coverage for remote patient monitoring during pregnancy and extends monitoring up to 12 months postpartum, was reported (motion carries 7 to nothing); staff noted an updated fiscal estimate of about $326,891 in general fund in year one, to be matched with non‑general funds. HB 13 91 (telehealth language and delayed enactment) and HB 14 18 (a sickle cell trait awareness and education program) were also reported with substitutes; staff cited first‑year fiscal estimates for the sickle‑cell program near $380,000.

Other items: HB 13 98 (a substitute focusing fetal‑death definition and infant‑death review teams) was reported with a substitute the committee said reduced fiscal impact to roughly $800,000 per year over the biennium; HB 3 28 (direction to the Bureau of Insurance on essential health benefits) and HB 8 38 (codifying Medicaid doula care) were reported with minimal expected impact; HB 3 48 (PFAS point‑of‑use treatment program) was gently tabled 5 to 2. Several bills were incorporated or procedurally continued as noted on the record.

The subcommittee repeatedly cited fiscal impact statements and staffing needs when choosing to table measures; where substitutes narrowed scope or aligned definitions with existing code the sponsors said cost estimates fell. The panel adjourned after completing the day's docket.

Votes at a glance

- HB 11 16 — Substitute moved; line amendment adopted; gently laid on the table (motion carries 6 to nothing). Fiscal impact reported: ~$140,000/year and one data position.
- HB 610 — Commonwealth Food Security and Coordination Act — gently laid on the table (7 to nothing).
- HB 13 32 — Continued to 2027 (voice vote).
- HB 13 98 — Substitute reported (staff noted fiscal impact reduced to ~ $800,000/year over the biennium). Reported to the next stage (7 to nothing).
- HB 14 03 — Severe maternal morbidity surveillance program — reported with substitute (7 to nothing).
- HB 12 97 — Adult protective services registry — gently laid on the table (7 to nothing).
- HB 578 — Foster‑care benefits protection — gently laid on the table (7 to nothing).
- HB 76 — Foster‑care belongings pilot (scaled pilot ~ $200,000) — gently laid on the table (7 to nothing).
- HB 4 25 — Medicaid remote patient monitoring for pregnancy — reported (7 to nothing). Updated GF estimate ~ $326,891 year one (matched with non‑GF).
- HB 4 35 — Palliative care education/advisory council — substitute discussed; gently laid on the table (7 to nothing). Staff cited vendor and ongoing costs.
- HB 3 28 — Bureau of Insurance essential health benefits direction — reported (7 to nothing).
- HB 3 48 — PFAS point‑of‑use/entry program — gently laid on the table (5 to 2); staff noted total operating cost would not exceed $3,000,000.
- HB 3 58 — SCC Medicare supplemental regulation update — reported (vote recorded in the transcript as reported).
- HB 8 38 — Medicaid doula care codification — reported (minimal expected impact noted).
- HB 12 40 — Medicaid denial reply‑period extension to 90 days — gently laid on the table (6 to 1).
- HB 13 80 — Emergency medical drills and sanctions for DD providers — gently laid on the table (7 to nothing); staff cited positions and GF cost estimate (~$663,000).
- HB 13 91 — Telehealth substitute (delayed enactment to 07/01/2027) — reported (7 to nothing).
- HB 14 18 — Sickle cell trait awareness program — reported (7 to nothing); first‑year cost ~ $380,000.

What comes next: items reported with substitutes will move forward in the process; many bills were tabled because of fiscal concerns and may return if sponsors secure funding or narrow scope.