republic-os/legislation/us/states/va/2026/hb-481.md

type, title, description, jurisdiction, legislature, session, identifier, citation, classification, subjects, status, primary_sponsors, version_count, action_count, vote_count, first_action, last_action, source, source_identifier, source_url, source_hash, vintage, source_snapshot, retrieved_at, confidence, tags

type	title	description	jurisdiction	legislature	session	identifier	citation	classification	subjects	status	primary_sponsors	version_count	action_count	vote_count	first_action	last_action	source	source_identifier	source_url	source_hash	vintage	source_snapshot	retrieved_at	confidence	tags
Bill	Prior authorization; requiring physician review for denial.	Prior authorization; requiring physician review for denial. Prohibits a health insurance carrier from making an adverse determination of a prior authorization request (i) for prescription drugs unless such denial has been reviewed and approved by a licensed physician or, if a licensed physician is not available, by a licensed pharmacist or (ii) for health care services unless such adverse determination has been reviewed and approved by (a) a licensed physician; (b) in the case of mental health services, a licensed mental health provider if a licensed physician is unavailable; or (c) in the case of dental services, a licensed dentist if a licensed physician is unavailable.	us/states/va	Virginia General Assembly	2026	HB 481	Virginia HB 481 (2026)	bill		enacted	Patrick A. Hope	5	36	7	2026-01-12	2026-04-13	openstates	ocd-bill/7eb4da70-810f-42a9-a17c-1a2f5492d52e	https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB481	1900133c5119c480a02985223a414087f55af1f9bddb7ca13914bfe53299346f	2026-07-01	https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump	2026-07-06	reported	legislation bill us-va

Virginia HB 481 (2026) — Prior authorization; requiring physician review for denial.

Prior authorization; requiring physician review for denial. Prohibits a health insurance carrier from making an adverse determination of a prior authorization request (i) for prescription drugs unless such denial has been reviewed and approved by a licensed physician or, if a licensed physician is not available, by a licensed pharmacist or (ii) for health care services unless such adverse determination has been reviewed and approved by (a) a licensed physician; (b) in the case of mental health services, a licensed mental health provider if a licensed physician is unavailable; or (c) in the case of dental services, a licensed dentist if a licensed physician is unavailable.

Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. Introduced (filed) — source
2. Commerce and Labor Substitute (committee substitute) — source
3. Labor and Commerce Substitute (committee substitute) — source
4. Subcommittee #1 Subcommittee Substitute (committee substitute) — source
5. Enrolled (enrolled) — source

Votes

• H VOTE: — 98–1 (pass) · lower
• Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute — 13–0 (pass) · upper
• Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute — 22–0 (pass) · lower
• Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute — 9–0 (pass) · lower
• Passage R — 39–0 (pass) · upper
• Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) — 39–0 (pass) · upper
• H VOTE: — 97–0 (pass) · lower

Sponsors

• Patrick A. Hope — primary (person)
• Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker — cosponsor (person)
• Kathy K.L. Tran — cosponsor (person)
• Marcia S. "Cia" Price — cosponsor (person)
• Rae Cousins — cosponsor (person)

Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

• 2026-01-12 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105194D filing, introduction
• 2026-01-12 Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce referral-committee
• 2026-01-19 Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #1 referral-committee
• 2026-01-27 House subcommittee offered
• 2026-01-27 Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (9-Y 0-N) substitution
• 2026-01-29 Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (22-Y 0-N) committee-passage
• 2026-01-29 Committee substitute printed 26106401D-H1 substitution
• 2026-02-02 Read first time reading-1
• 2026-02-03 Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar
• 2026-02-03 Read second time reading-2
• 2026-02-03 committee substitute agreed to substitution
• 2026-02-03 Engrossed by House - committee substitute substitution
• 2026-02-04 Read third time and passed House (97-Y 0-N 0-A) passage, reading-3
• 2026-02-05 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
• 2026-02-05 Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor referral-committee
• 2026-03-02 Senate committee offered
• 2026-03-02 Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (13-Y 0-N) committee-passage
• 2026-03-03 Committee substitute printed 26108765D-S1 substitution
• 2026-03-04 Rules suspended
• 2026-03-04 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
• 2026-03-04 Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
• 2026-03-05 Read third time reading-3
• 2026-03-05 Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to
• 2026-03-05 Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute substitution
• 2026-03-05 Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A) passage
• 2026-03-05 Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB481)
• 2026-03-09 Passed by for the day
• 2026-03-10 Senate substitute agreed to by House (98-Y 1-N 0-A) substitution
• 2026-03-30 Enrolled enrolled
• 2026-03-30 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB481ER) passage
• 2026-03-30 Signed by President passage
• 2026-03-31 Signed by Speaker passage
• 2026-03-31 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 enrolled, executive-receipt
• 2026-03-31 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 executive-receipt
• 2026-04-13 Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB481)
• 2026-04-13 Approved by Governor-Chapter 925 (effective 7/1/2026) executive-signature

Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot 2026-07-01; origin ocd-bill/7eb4da70-810f-42a9-a17c-1a2f5492d52e. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Virginia legislature records).