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HB1282 • 2026

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

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 54.1-3507.01, relating to licensed substance abuse treatment practitioners; licensure by endorsement; licensure without examination.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Cole, J.G.
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify what happens if an applicant fails to meet any of the requirements.

Licensure Pathway for Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioners

This act establishes a pathway for certain certified substance abuse counselors with extensive experience and credentials to obtain licensure by endorsement without taking an exam.

What This Bill Does

  • Establishes a pathway for licensed substance abuse treatment practitioners through the Board of Counseling's endorsement process.
  • Requires applicants to have held certification as a certified substance abuse counselor for at least 10 years with no disciplinary history.
  • Requires applicants to complete five years of documented supervised experience in the field.
  • Requires applicants to hold a master’s degree from an accredited institution in mental health counseling, substance abuse counseling, or another substantially equivalent counseling-related field.
  • Requires applicants to have the Master Addiction Counselor credential issued by NAADAC.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Substance abuse counselors who meet specific criteria can apply for licensure by endorsement through the Board of Counseling.

Terms To Know

endorsement
A process that allows experienced professionals to get a license without taking an exam.
Master Addiction Counselor (MAC)
A credential given by NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, showing high-level expertise in addiction counseling.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if an applicant fails to meet any of the requirements.
  • It is unclear how many people will qualify under this new pathway.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB1282AHC1

2026-02-10 • Committee

Health Professions Subcommittee Amendment

Plain English: The amendment to HB1282 adds a requirement that substance abuse treatment practitioners seeking licensure by endorsement must have no history of disciplinary action.

  • Adds the condition that applicants for licensure by endorsement must not have any record of disciplinary actions.
  • The amendment does not specify what types of disciplinary actions are excluded or how this requirement will be enforced.
HB1282AH1

2026-02-12 • Committee

Health and Human Services Amendment

Plain English: The amendment to HB1282 adds a requirement that substance abuse treatment practitioners seeking licensure by endorsement must have no history of disciplinary action.

  • Adds the condition that applicants for licensure by endorsement must not have any record of disciplinary actions.
  • The amendment does not specify what types of disciplinary actions are excluded or how this requirement will be enforced.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Governor

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

  2. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0766)

  3. 2026-03-25 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026

  4. 2026-03-25 Governor

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

  5. 2026-03-17 House

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

  6. 2026-03-14 House

    Signed by Speaker

  7. 2026-03-14 Senate

    Signed by President

  8. 2026-03-14 House

    Enrolled

  9. 2026-03-14 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1282ER)

  10. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Read third time

  11. 2026-03-09 Senate

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

  12. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Rules suspended

  13. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  14. 2026-03-06 Senate

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

  15. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  16. 2026-03-05 Education and Health

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

  17. 2026-02-27 Health Professions

    Assigned Education sub: Health Professions

  18. 2026-02-18 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  19. 2026-02-18 Education and Health

    Referred to Committee on Education and Health

  20. 2026-02-17 House

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

  21. 2026-02-16 House

    Read second time

  22. 2026-02-16 House

    committee amendment agreed to

  23. 2026-02-16 House

    Engrossed by House as amended

  24. 2026-02-16 House

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

  25. 2026-02-15 House

    Read first time

  26. 2026-02-12 Health and Human Services

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

  27. 2026-02-10 Health Professions

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

  28. 2026-02-09 House

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

  29. 2026-01-23 Health Professions

    Assigned sub: Health Professions

  30. 2026-01-14 House

    Presented and ordered printed 26104275D

  31. 2026-01-14 Health and Human Services

    Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

Official Summary Text

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.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
54.1-3507.01
, relating to licensed substance abuse treatment practitioners; licensure by endorsement; licensure without examination.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered
54.1-3507.01
as follows:
§
54.1-3507.01
. Licensure by endorsement of licensed substance abuse treatment practitioners.
A. The Board shall establish a pathway for licensure by endorsement as a licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner for individuals who:
1. Have held certification as a certified substance abuse counselor for at least 10 years prior to the date of application and have actively practiced in the substance abuse treatment field during such period

with no history of disciplinary action;
2. Have completed not less than five years of documented supervised experience under a professional counselor or licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner;
3. Hold at least a master's degree from an accredited institution in (i) mental health counseling, (ii) substance abuse counseling, or (iii) another counseling-related field deemed substantially equivalent by the Board; and
4. Hold the Master Addiction Counselor credential issued by NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, either through examination or through an approved grandfathering process.
B. The Board shall grant licensure by endorsement as a licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner to any applicant who satisfies all requirements of subsection A.