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HB209 • 2026

Peer recovery specialists; VDH & DOC to develop guidelines for hiring.

An Act to direct the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Corrections to develop agency guidelines for hiring peer recovery specialists with previous criminal convictions for compensated employment.

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Price
Last action
2026-04-06
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the completion timeline or the number of individuals expected to qualify under these new rules.

Guidelines for Hiring Peer Recovery Specialists with Criminal Records

This act requires the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Corrections to create guidelines that allow hiring peer recovery specialists who have criminal records.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Corrections to develop agency guidelines for hiring peer recovery specialists with previous criminal convictions for compensated employment.
  • The new rules must not be stricter than current laws about hiring people with certain types of criminal records in mental health or substance abuse treatment programs.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who want to become peer recovery specialists but have past criminal convictions
  • The Virginia Department of Health
  • The Virginia Department of Corrections

Terms To Know

Peer Recovery Specialist
A person with lived experience in addiction or mental health who helps others recover.
Compensated Employment
Paid work for a job.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify when the guidelines must be completed.
  • It is unclear how many people will qualify to become peer recovery specialists under these new rules.

Amendments

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

HB209AHC1

2026-02-10

Health and Human Services Amendment

Plain English: The amendment changes the requirement for hiring peer recovery specialists to ensure that guidelines are not more restrictive than necessary.

  • Changes the phrase 'consistent with' to 'no more restrictive than' in line 16 of the bill.
  • The exact impact and scope of this change on hiring guidelines is unclear without additional context.
HB209AHC2

2026-02-10 • Committee

Health Professions Subcommittee Amendment

Plain English: The amendment changes the requirement for hiring peer recovery specialists to ensure that guidelines are not more restrictive than necessary.

  • Changes the phrase 'consistent with' to 'no more restrictive than' in line 16 of the bill.
  • The exact impact and scope of this change on hiring practices for peer recovery specialists is unclear without additional context.
HB209AH1

2026-02-12 • Committee

Health and Human Services Amendment

Plain English: The amendment changes the requirement for Virginia Department of Health and Virginia Department of Corrections guidelines to ensure they are not stricter than existing rules when hiring peer recovery specialists.

  • Changes the phrase 'consistent with' to 'no more restrictive than' in the bill's language.
  • The amendment text is brief and technical, so it’s unclear how this change will affect specific guidelines or policies beyond ensuring they are not overly strict.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 90 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 90 (effective 7/1/2026)

  3. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0090)

  4. 2026-03-14 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

  5. 2026-03-14 Governor

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

  6. 2026-03-10 House

    Signed by Speaker

  7. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Signed by President

  8. 2026-03-10 House

    Enrolled

  9. 2026-03-10 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB209ER)

  10. 2026-03-10 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB209)

  11. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Read third time

  12. 2026-03-03 Senate

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

  13. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Rules suspended

  14. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  15. 2026-03-02 Senate

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

  16. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  17. 2026-02-27 Rehabilitation and Social Services

    Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services Block Vote (15-Y 0-N)

  18. 2026-02-26 Education and Health

    Rereferred from Education and Health to Rehabilitation and Social Services Block Vote (13-Y 0-N)

  19. 2026-02-18 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  20. 2026-02-18 Education and Health

    Referred to Committee on Education and Health

  21. 2026-02-17 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB209)

  22. 2026-02-17 House

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

  23. 2026-02-16 House

    Read second time

  24. 2026-02-16 House

    committee amendment agreed to

  25. 2026-02-16 House

    Engrossed by House as amended

  26. 2026-02-15 House

    Read first time

  27. 2026-02-12 Health and Human Services

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

  28. 2026-02-10 Health Professions

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

  29. 2026-02-10 Health Professions

    House subcommittee offered

  30. 2026-01-22 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB209)

  31. 2026-01-16 Health Professions

    Assigned sub: Health Professions

  32. 2026-01-07 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102528D

  33. 2026-01-07 Health and Human Services

    Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

Official Summary Text

Department of Health; Department of Corrections; peer recovery specialists.
Directs the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Corrections to develop agency guidelines for hiring peer recovery specialists with previous criminal convictions for compensated employment. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care. This bill is identical to SB 608.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to direct the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Corrections to develop agency guidelines for hiring peer recovery specialists with previous criminal convictions for compensated employment.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1.
§ 1. That the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Corrections shall develop agency guidelines for hiring peer recovery specialists with previous criminal convictions for compensated employment. Such guidelines shall include provisions clarifying the requirements for employment in specific programs and positions operated by the Departments of Health and Corrections and include, at a minimum, language providing for employment of such individuals that is

no more restrictive than

the provisions of §
37.2-314
of the Code of Virginia granting exceptions to the list of barrier crimes for individuals hired for compensated employment at an adult mental health or adult substance abuse treatment program.