2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26100798D

SENATE BILL NO. 429

Offered January 14, 2026

Prefiled January 13, 2026

A BILL to direct the Department of Health and the State Health Commissioner to take steps to improve nursing home quality and accountability.

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Patrons—Head and Mulchi

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Referred to Committee on Education and Health

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. That the Department of Health (the Department) and the State Health Commissioner shall take steps to improve care quality, protect residents, and strengthen oversight and accountability of nursing homes in the Commonwealth.

§ 2. The Department shall work with relevant stakeholders to develop and implement a plan to expand workforce capacity in the Office of Licensure and Certification and fill all open medical facilities inspector positions. As part of the plan to expand workforce capacity, the Department shall establish and maintain an Office of Licensure and Certification recruitment dashboard to track and update vacancies. The Department shall also utilize traditional and non-traditional recruiting measures to recruit across markets for open positions at the Office of Licensure and Certification.

§ 3. In order to accelerate training and onboarding initiatives, the Department shall establish a dedicated training manager to lead the development and implementation of comprehensive staff training initiatives at the Office of Licensure and Certification and create an onboarding plan to support future recruitment and retention.

§ 4. The Department's Chief Information Officer shall coordinate with the Virginia Information Technologies Agency and the Office of Regulatory Management to assess the feasibility of automating tasks and reducing administrative burdens through the use of artificial intelligence or other means.

§ 5. The State Health Commissioner shall submit by December 1 an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly with recommendations for continued improvement of nursing home quality and oversight.