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Health Subcommittee

Tuesday, February 24, 2026·56m·▶ Watch / Listen

The HHS Subcommittee on Health advanced six bills on topics ranging from fentanyl cleanup guidelines and Gaucher's disease newborn screening to food allergy labeling, public waterworks receivership, and the 340B Drug Pricing Program — with the most contentious debates centering on whether SB 374 improperly bypasses expert scientific review and whether SB 278's reduction to a study bill adequately protects patients relying on Federally Qualified Health Centers.

Key Actions

·SB 392 – Fentanyl Cleanup GuidelinesPassed

+ 4 more actions

Controversies

Whether SB 278's reduction to a study bill adequately protects patients

An unnamed FQHC representative explicitly opposed the study substitute, stating 'We wanted that bill. Our patients needed that bill. And now we have a study,' and that Big Pharma has bled Virginia FQHCs to the tune of $105 million in 340B losses. Senator Srinivasan defended the study as a necessity reached after extensive stakeholder negotiations, arguing the process needs enough time so that 'when we come next session, we not only have a broad agreement, we know exactly the nuances and the granular details.'

+ 2 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“My diagnosis came after years of unexplained symptoms. By then, I suffered from critically low platelets. My liver and spleen were enlarged to 20 times their normal size, and I had developed osteoporosis. The uncertainty and harm caused by delayed recognition could have been prevented.”

Dr. Bruce Silverman, retired physician and Type 1 Gaucher's disease patient — Dr. Silverman testified in favor of SB 374, which would add Gaucher's disease to Virginia's newborn screening panel, arguing that early detection could prevent the kind of severe, delayed harm he personally experienced.

+ 3 more quotes

Votes

Motion to report Senate Bill 392Passed
Motion to adopt amendment to SB 374 (effective date July 1, 2027)Passed
Motion to report and refer Senate Bill 374 as amended to AppropriationsPassed
Motion to adopt amendment to SB 183 (strike 'standardized' in line 14)Passed
Motion to report Senate Bill 183 as amendedPassed
Motion to report Senate Bill 683Passed
Motion to adopt line amendments to SB 278Passed
Motion to report Senate Bill 278 as amendedPassed
Motion to report Senate Bill 633Passed
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TranscriptPreview
HHS Subcommittee on Health will now come to order. Members, please mark your attendance on the electronic voting board. Our members have voted. Okay, we have a clerk will close the roll. We have a quorum today. Senator Jordan, you're the first on our list. And I have Boisko in the on deck circle. Good morning. Good morning. Chairmembers of the subcommittee. I have before you this morning Senate Bill 392. And what this seeks to do is clean up existing guidelines, especially for the insurance industry. So years ago, there was DEQ issue standards worked with the insurance industry to make sure we proper cleanup standards. And years ago they did specific guidelines concerning the dangers and toxic residue of methamphetamine. And the. This is just to update that to include fentanyl. So that way we're making sure that landlords, homeowners, those in the insurance industry, and those that are working in that interface have proper cleanup standards and guidelines around that process. Okay, thank you. Any questions for the patron of the bill? Not seeing any. Okay, why don't we go ahead and turn to the audience. Anyone here to speak in favor of Senate Bill 392? Anyone…
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