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Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · Bill

HB 1478: In-person visitation; policies and procedures at certain facilities.

In committee Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

HB 1478 is a bill introduced in the Virginia House on January 23, 2026. According to its official title, it concerns: In-person visitation; policies and procedures at certain facilities. Primary sponsor: Will Davis (Republican). Most recent recorded action (February 3, 2026): Stricken from docket by Health and Human Services (22-Y 0-N).

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Official summary

Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.

In-person visitation policies and procedures at certain facilities. Requires training centers operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (the Department), hospitals, nursing homes, certified nursing facilities, hospices or hospice facilities, assisted living facilities, and intermediate care facilities to establish certain in-person visitation policies and procedures. The bill (i) requires that such policies and procedures include screening, personal protective equipment, and other infection control protocols for visitors; (ii) prohibits such policies from requiring the visitor to provide proof of immunization or vaccination; (iii) requires such policies and procedures to allow consensual physical contact between the visitor and the resident, client, or patient of the facility; (iv) authorizes the resident, client, or patient to designate an essential caregiver and establishes requirements related to essential caregivers; (v) requires that such policies and procedures allow in-person visitation under certain circumstances; (vi) provides that such policies and procedures may require visitors to agree in writing to follow such policies and procedures; (vii) authorizes facilities to suspend in-person visitation of visitors for violations of such agreement; (viii) requires facilities to make such policies and procedures available to the Department for review when applying for initial licensure, licensure renewal, or change of ownership; and (ix) requires facilities and the Department to make such policies and procedures easily accessible on their websites.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 1

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Will DavisPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse39

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

  1. Stricken from docket by Health and Human Services (22-Y 0-N)
  2. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1478)
  3. Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services
  4. Presented and ordered printed 26105560D

Sources

  1. Open States / Plural (data from the official legislature website)
  2. Official legislature source