Bill Commons

VA HB 712

enacted

Office-based buprenorphine treatment; Board of Medicine to amend regulations.

Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower

Quick answers

Did VA HB 712 pass?

Yes. VA HB 712 has been enacted into law as of 2026-04-06. Latest recorded action (2026-04-06): Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0207)

What is VA HB 712 about?

Board of Medicine; office-based buprenorphine treatment; counseling. Directs the Board of Medicine to amend its regulations regarding office-based buprenorphine treatment to require providers to offer counseling or referral to counseling to each patient as clinically necessary and mutually agreed-upon. The bill specifies that a patient's refusal of counseling does not preclude the patient from receiving office-based buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care and is identical to SB 641.

Who sponsors VA HB 712?

H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr. is the primary sponsor of VA HB 712.

Description

Board of Medicine; office-based buprenorphine treatment; counseling. Directs the Board of Medicine to amend its regulations regarding office-based buprenorphine treatment to require providers to offer counseling or referral to counseling to each patient as clinically necessary and mutually agreed-upon. The bill specifies that a patient's refusal of counseling does not preclude the patient from receiving office-based buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care and is identical to SB 641.

Introduced
2026-01-13
Latest action
2026-04-06 — Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0207)
Bill type
bill
Last updated

Sponsors

  • H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.primary

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2026-01-13

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104755D

    filing,introduction

  2. 2026-01-13

    Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

    referral-committee

  3. 2026-01-16

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB712)

  4. 2026-01-21

    Assigned sub: Health Professions

    referral-committee

  5. 2026-01-22

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N)

  6. 2026-01-27

    Reported from Health and Human Services (22-Y 0-N)

    committee-passage

  7. 2026-01-29

    Read first time

    reading-1

  8. 2026-01-30

    Read second time and engrossed

    reading-2

  9. 2026-02-02

    Read third time and passed House (99-Y 0-N 0-A)

    passage,reading-3

  10. 2026-02-03

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  11. 2026-02-03

    Referred to Committee on Education and Health

    referral-committee

  12. 2026-02-19

    Reported from Education and Health (13-Y 0-N)

    committee-passage

  13. 2026-02-20

    Rules suspended

  14. 2026-02-20

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  15. 2026-02-20

    Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)

  16. 2026-02-23

    Read third time

    reading-3

  17. 2026-02-23

    Passed Senate (38-Y 0-N 0-A)

    passage

  18. 2026-02-25

    Enrolled

    enrolled

  19. 2026-02-25

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB712ER)

    passage

  20. 2026-02-25

    Signed by Speaker

    passage

  21. 2026-02-25

    Signed by President

    passage

  22. 2026-02-26

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB712)

  23. 2026-03-10

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

    enrolled,executive-receipt

  24. 2026-03-10

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

    executive-receipt

  25. 2026-04-06

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 207 (effective 7/1/2026)

    executive-signature

  26. 2026-04-06

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0207)

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Subcommittee recommends reporting

    2026-01-22 · 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
    • Timothy P. Griffin: yes
  • Reported from Health and Human Services

    2026-01-27 · pass · 22-0

    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
    • Timothy P. Griffin: yes
    • Mitchell Cornett: yes
  • H VOTE:

    2026-02-02 · pass · 99-0

    Member-level votes (100)
    • Jessica L. Anderson: yes
    • Bonita G. Anthony: yes
    • Alex Q. Askew: yes
    • Terry L. Austin: yes
    • Jason S. Ballard: yes
    • Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: 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: yes
    • 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: yes
    • 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

    2026-02-19 · pass · 13-0

    Member-level votes (15)
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • L. Louise Lucas: yes
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • David R. Suetterlein: not voting
    • Mark J. Peake: yes
    • Todd E. Pillion: yes
    • Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
    • Lamont Bagby: yes
    • Christopher T. Head: yes
    • Lashrecse D. Aird: not voting
    • 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)

    2026-02-20 · 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
  • Passage R

    2026-02-23 · pass · 38-0

    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: not voting
    • 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: not voting
    • 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

Attribution

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

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

Use this data

Every field on this page is available from the free public API — no key or licence required. Fetch this bill as JSON: GET /api/v1/bills?jurisdiction=VA&identifier=HB 712. See the API docs or the MCP server for AI assistants.

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  • Sponsor party and chamber affiliation are not yet captured by this API.
  • Committee referrals are not yet captured.

See the methodology page for data sources and limitations.