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Health Professions Subcommittee

Tuesday, February 10, 2026·1h 9m·▶ Watch / Listen

The Health Professions Subcommittee advanced seven bills modernizing scope-of-practice rules for physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and optometrists, expanded military medic pathways, and set nursing home staffing floors — while killing HB 622, which would have granted autonomous practice credit to NPs with VA or military experience, on a 3-4 vote.

Key Actions

·HB 746 – Physician Assistant Independent PracticePassed

+ 7 more actions

Controversies

HB 622 – Whether VA/military NP experience is equivalent to Virginia's collaborative care requirement

David May (Virginia Academy of Family Physicians) argued that NPs working in the military or VA practice autonomously from the start, making the experience not an 'apples to apples' comparison with Virginia's three-year collaborative care model, and that DHP should analyze equivalency before the bill passes. Amy Perrin Sibert (Virginia College of Emergency Physicians) argued the bill as drafted automatically deems VA/military experience equivalent with no clear guidelines, and that DHP should study comparability first. Delegate Glass (patron) countered that the bill helps Virginia be competitive with neighbors like Maryland, and DHP's Erin Barrett stated DHP supports the bill as an agency bill. The subcommittee voted 3-4 to fail the bill.

+ 2 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“PAS in many circumstances are having to pay physicians to sign practice agreements so they can practice even though the physicians are not actively overseeing their practice.”

Bobby Cockrum (President, Virginia Academy of PAs) — Cockrum was explaining why HB 746's removal of the practice agreement requirement for experienced PAs is needed, arguing the current system imposes financial burdens without providing genuine oversight.

+ 2 more quotes

Votes

Report HB 622 as amendedFailed
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TranscriptPreview
Good morning. Good morning. I call this meeting of the health profession sub to order. If the clerk will please open the rolls and members show your presence. And we do have a quorum. Thank you, Madam Clerk. This morning we have a finite amount of time backed up against full committee, so we will need to be judicious with our time. First up we have Delegate Henson, and That's House Bill 746. Delegate Henson. Thank you. Madam Chair. Members of the subcommittee, I do have an amendment. Can I get a motion on the amendment? It's been moved Improperly seconded that we would adopt the amendment. All those in favor, please say Aye. Any opposed? That amendment is before us. If Attorney Brooks will please report that amendment. Madam Chair, the amendment in the nature of a substitute for HB 746. So we're defining the term attestation, removing the Board of Medicine from determinations on experience and scope of practice and instead limiting independent PA practice to the specific clinical specialty or practice area of their experience, removing specific provisions on PAs who are unable to provide a required attestation and instead permitting the Board of Medicine to adopt…
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