Bill Commons

VA HB 1282

enacted

Licensed substance abuse treatment practitioners; licensure by endorsement, etc.

Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower

Quick answers

Did VA HB 1282 pass?

Yes. VA HB 1282 has been enacted into law as of 2026-04-13. Latest recorded action (2026-04-13): Approved by Governor-Chapter 766 (effective 7/1/2026)

What is VA HB 1282 about?

Licensed substance abuse treatment practitioners; licensure by endorsement; licensure without examination. Directs the Board of Counseling to establish a pathway to licensure by endorsement as a licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner for applicants who have held certification as a certified substance abuse counselor for at least 10 years without a history of disciplinary action, have completed at least five years of documented supervised experience, hold at least a master's degree in an appropriate field of counseling, and hold a Master Addiction Counselor credential issued by NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals. The bill provides that such pathway to licensure by endorsement does not require examination.

Who sponsors VA HB 1282?

Joshua G. Cole is the primary sponsor of VA HB 1282, joined by 2 cosponsors.

Description

Licensed substance abuse treatment practitioners; licensure by endorsement; licensure without examination. Directs the Board of Counseling to establish a pathway to licensure by endorsement as a licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner for applicants who have held certification as a certified substance abuse counselor for at least 10 years without a history of disciplinary action, have completed at least five years of documented supervised experience, hold at least a master's degree in an appropriate field of counseling, and hold a Master Addiction Counselor credential issued by NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals. The bill provides that such pathway to licensure by endorsement does not require examination.

Introduced
2026-01-14
Latest action
2026-04-13 — Approved by Governor-Chapter 766 (effective 7/1/2026)
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Sponsors

  • Joshua G. Coleprimary
  • Rodney T. Willettcosponsor
  • Virgil Thorntoncosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2026-01-14

    Presented and ordered printed 26104275D

    introduction

  2. 2026-01-14

    Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

    referral-committee

  3. 2026-01-23

    Assigned sub: Health Professions

    referral-committee

  4. 2026-02-09

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1282)

  5. 2026-02-10

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (10-Y 0-N)

  6. 2026-02-12

    Reported from Health and Human Services with amendment(s) (21-Y 0-N)

    committee-passage

  7. 2026-02-15

    Read first time

    reading-1

  8. 2026-02-16

    Read second time

    reading-2

  9. 2026-02-16

    committee amendment agreed to

    amendment-passage

  10. 2026-02-16

    Engrossed by House as amended

  11. 2026-02-16

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1282)

  12. 2026-02-17

    Read third time and passed House (97-Y 0-N 0-A)

    passage,reading-3

  13. 2026-02-18

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  14. 2026-02-18

    Referred to Committee on Education and Health

    referral-committee

  15. 2026-02-27

    Assigned Education sub: Health Professions

    referral-committee

  16. 2026-03-05

    Reported from Education and Health (15-Y 0-N)

    committee-passage

  17. 2026-03-06

    Rules suspended

  18. 2026-03-06

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  19. 2026-03-06

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  20. 2026-03-09

    Read third time

    reading-3

  21. 2026-03-09

    Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

    passage

  22. 2026-03-14

    Enrolled

    enrolled

  23. 2026-03-14

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1282ER)

    passage

  24. 2026-03-14

    Signed by Speaker

    passage

  25. 2026-03-14

    Signed by President

    passage

  26. 2026-03-17

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1282)

  27. 2026-03-25

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026

    enrolled,executive-receipt

  28. 2026-03-25

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    executive-receipt

  29. 2026-04-13

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 766 (effective 7/1/2026)

    executive-signature

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s)

    2026-02-10 · pass · 10-0

    Member-level votes (10)
    • Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
    • C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
    • Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
    • Joshua G. Cole: yes
    • Nicole Cole: yes
    • Mark C. Downey: yes
    • Garrett McGuire: yes
    • M. Keith Hodges: yes
    • Mike A. Cherry: yes
    • Wren M. Williams: yes

  • Reported from Health and Human Services with amendment(s)

    2026-02-12 · pass · 21-0

    Member-level votes (22)
    • Rodney T. Willett: yes
    • Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
    • Patrick A. Hope: yes
    • Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
    • C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
    • Sam Rasoul: yes
    • Charniele L. Herring: yes
    • Irene Shin: yes
    • Joshua G. Cole: yes
    • Rozia A. Henson, Jr.: yes
    • Debra D. Gardner: yes
    • Laura Jane Cohen: yes
    • Mark C. Downey: yes
    • Nicole Cole: yes
    • Garrett McGuire: yes
    • M. Keith Hodges: yes
    • Wendell S. Walker: yes
    • Mike A. Cherry: yes
    • Phillip A. Scott: yes
    • H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: yes
    • Mitchell Cornett: yes
    • Wren M. Williams: not voting

  • H VOTE:

    2026-02-17 · pass · 96-0

    Member-level votes (99)
    • Jessica L. Anderson: yes
    • Bonita G. Anthony: yes
    • Alex Q. Askew: yes
    • Terry L. Austin: yes
    • Jason S. Ballard: yes
    • Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: yes
    • Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
    • Katrina Callsen: yes
    • Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
    • Betsy B. Carr: yes
    • Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
    • Mike A. Cherry: yes
    • Nadarius E. Clark: not voting
    • Laura Jane Cohen: yes
    • Joshua G. Cole: yes
    • Nicole Cole: yes
    • Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: yes
    • Mitchell Cornett: yes
    • Rae Cousins: yes
    • Will Davis: yes
    • Karrie K. Delaney: yes
    • Lindsey Dougherty: yes
    • Mark C. Downey: yes
    • Michael B. Feggans: yes
    • Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: yes
    • Lily V. Franklin: yes
    • Margaret A. Franklin: yes
    • Debra D. Gardner: yes
    • Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: yes
    • Jackie H. Glass: yes
    • Timothy P. Griffin: yes
    • Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
    • Karen Hamilton: yes
    • C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
    • Dan I. Helmer: yes
    • Rozia A. Henson, Jr.: yes
    • Phil M. Hernandez: yes
    • Charniele L. Herring: yes
    • M. Keith Hodges: yes
    • Patrick A. Hope: yes
    • Hillary Pugh Kent: yes
    • Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
    • Terry G. Kilgore: yes
    • Barry D. Knight: not voting
    • Paul E. Krizek: yes
    • Amy J. Laufer: yes
    • James A. "Jay" Leftwich: yes
    • Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
    • Alfonso H. Lopez: yes
    • Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
    • Marty Martinez: yes
    • John Chilton McAuliff: not voting
    • Adele Y. McClure: yes
    • Garrett McGuire: yes
    • Ellen H. McLaughlin: yes
    • Joseph P. McNamara: yes
    • Delores L. McQuinn: yes
    • Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
    • James W. Morefield: yes
    • May Nivar: yes
    • Delores Oates: yes
    • Israel D. O'Quinn: yes
    • Justin Pence: yes
    • Eric Phillips: yes
    • Kimberly Pope Adams: yes
    • Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
    • Sam Rasoul: yes
    • Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
    • David A. Reid: yes
    • Chris S. Runion: yes
    • Charlie Schmidt: yes
    • Don Scott: yes
    • Phillip A. Scott: yes
    • Holly M. Seibold: yes
    • Briana D. Sewell: yes
    • Irene Shin: yes
    • Marcus B. Simon: yes
    • Shelly A. Simonds: yes
    • JJ Singh: yes
    • Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
    • Anne Ferrell Tata: yes
    • Joshua E. Thomas: yes
    • Virgil Thornton: yes
    • Luke E. Torian: yes
    • Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
    • H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: yes
    • Wendell S. Walker: yes
    • Jeion A. Ward: yes
    • R. Lee Ware: yes
    • Vivian E. Watts: yes
    • Michael J. Webert: yes
    • Madison Whittle: yes
    • Bill Wiley: yes
    • Rodney T. Willett: yes
    • Wren M. Williams: yes
    • Tony O. Wilt: yes
    • Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: yes
    • Scott A. Wyatt: yes
    • Eric R. Zehr: yes

  • Reported from Education and Health

    2026-03-05 · pass · 15-0

    Member-level votes (15)
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • L. Louise Lucas: yes
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • David R. Suetterlein: yes
    • Mark J. Peake: yes
    • Todd E. Pillion: yes
    • Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
    • Lamont Bagby: yes
    • Christopher T. Head: yes
    • Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
    • Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
    • Tara A. Durant: yes
    • Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
    • Christie New Craig: yes
    • Russet Perry: yes

  • Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading)

    2026-03-06 · pass · 39-0

    Member-level votes (40)
    • Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
    • Lamont Bagby: yes
    • Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
    • Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
    • Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
    • Luther Cifers, III: yes
    • Christie New Craig: yes
    • R. Creigh Deeds: yes
    • Bill DeSteph: yes
    • J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
    • Tara A. Durant: yes
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • Timmy French: yes
    • T. Travis Hackworth: not voting
    • Christopher T. Head: yes
    • Michael J. Jones: yes
    • Emily M. Jordan: yes
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • L. Louise Lucas: yes
    • David W. Marsden: yes
    • Ryan T. McDougle: yes
    • Jeremy S. McPike: yes
    • Tammy Brankley Mulchi: yes
    • Mark D. Obenshain: yes
    • Mark J. Peake: yes
    • Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
    • Russet Perry: yes
    • Todd E. Pillion: yes
    • Bryce E. Reeves: yes
    • Danica A. Roem: yes
    • Aaron R. Rouse: yes
    • Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
    • Kannan Srinivasan: yes
    • William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
    • Richard H. Stuart: yes
    • Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: yes
    • David R. Suetterlein: yes
    • Scott A. Surovell: yes
    • Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
    • Angelia Williams Graves: yes

  • Passage R

    2026-03-09 · pass · 40-0

    Member-level votes (40)
    • Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
    • Lamont Bagby: yes
    • Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
    • Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
    • Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
    • Luther Cifers, III: yes
    • Christie New Craig: yes
    • R. Creigh Deeds: yes
    • Bill DeSteph: yes
    • J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
    • Tara A. Durant: yes
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • Timmy French: yes
    • T. Travis Hackworth: yes
    • Christopher T. Head: yes
    • Michael J. Jones: yes
    • Emily M. Jordan: yes
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • L. Louise Lucas: yes
    • David W. Marsden: yes
    • Ryan T. McDougle: yes
    • Jeremy S. McPike: yes
    • Tammy Brankley Mulchi: yes
    • Mark D. Obenshain: yes
    • Mark J. Peake: yes
    • Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
    • Russet Perry: yes
    • Todd E. Pillion: yes
    • Bryce E. Reeves: yes
    • Danica A. Roem: yes
    • Aaron R. Rouse: yes
    • Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
    • Kannan Srinivasan: yes
    • William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
    • Richard H. Stuart: yes
    • Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: yes
    • David R. Suetterlein: yes
    • Scott A. Surovell: yes
    • Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
    • Angelia Williams Graves: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB1282

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

Source and document changesStatus and relationship changes

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