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SB608 • 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
Pillion
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 details on the exact impact or number of hires expected from this legislation.

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 criminal backgrounds in mental health or substance abuse treatment programs.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who want to become peer recovery specialists and have a past criminal record
  • The Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Corrections

Terms To Know

Peer Recovery Specialists
People with personal experience in recovering from addiction or mental health issues who help others do the same.
Compensated Employment
Paid work for people who are usually not allowed to have jobs due to their criminal history.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify when these guidelines must be completed or put into use.
  • It is unclear how many peer recovery specialists will be hired under these new rules.

Amendments

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

SB608ASC1

2026-01-23 • Committee

Rehabilitation and Social 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 necessary when hiring peer recovery specialists with criminal convictions.

  • Changes the phrase 'consistent with' to 'no more restrictive than' in the bill's language.
  • The exact impact and interpretation of this change on the guidelines is unclear without additional context.
SB608AS1

2026-01-23 • Committee

Rehabilitation and Social Services Amendment

Plain English: The amendment changes the requirement for Virginia Department of Health and Virginia Department of Corrections guidelines on hiring peer recovery specialists to ensure that these guidelines are not stricter than necessary.

  • Changes the phrase 'consistent with' to 'no more restrictive than' in the bill's language.
  • The exact impact of this change is limited by the lack of context on what specific restrictions or requirements were previously implied by 'consistent with'.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 91 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 91 (effective 7/1/2026)

  3. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0091)

  4. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

  5. 2026-03-10 Governor

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

  6. 2026-02-26 House

    Signed by Speaker

  7. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Signed by President

  8. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Enrolled

  9. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB608ER)

  10. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB608)

  11. 2026-02-24 House

    Read third time

  12. 2026-02-24 House

    Passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A)

  13. 2026-02-23 House

    Read second time

  14. 2026-02-19 Health and Human Services

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

  15. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB608)

  16. 2026-02-04 House

    Placed on Calendar

  17. 2026-02-04 House

    Read first time

  18. 2026-02-04 Health and Human Services

    Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

  19. 2026-01-28 Senate

    Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  20. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Read second time

  21. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate as amended

  22. 2026-01-27 Rehabilitation and Social Services

    Rehabilitation and Social Services Amendment agreed to

  23. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate as amended Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  24. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Read first time

  25. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  26. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  27. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  28. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (38-Y 0-N 0-A)

  29. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  30. 2026-01-23 Rehabilitation and Social Services

    Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with amendment (15-Y 0-N)

  31. 2026-01-23 Senate

    Senate committee offered

  32. 2026-01-23 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB608)

  33. 2026-01-14 Senate

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102529D

  34. 2026-01-14 Rehabilitation and Social Services

    Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social 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 HB 209.

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.