Legislative Update for Connections Health Solutions
Friday March 7, 2025

Bill	Patron	Title	Synopsis	Status
HB 1895	Rodney T. Willett	Involuntary Temporary Detention Orders; Amends Definition Of "psychiatric Emergency Department."	Involuntary temporary detention orders; definition of 'psychiatric emergency department.' Amends the definition of 'psychiatric emergency department' as it relates to involuntary temporary detention orders to remove the requirement that a psychiatric emergency department be located adjacent to a facility licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and to add requirements that a psychiatric emergency department (i) be licensed by either the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services or the Department of Health and (ii) provide that at least one physician who is primarily responsible for the emergency department be on duty and physically present at all times that the hospital is operating as an emergency service. This bill applies to hospitals with a psychiatric emergency department located in the City of Hampton for the purpose of employing certain trained individuals to perform evaluations to determine whether a person meets the criteria for temporary detention for behavioral health treatment and has an expiration date of July 1, 2026, and is identical to SB 1094.	S Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N) (2/18)
HB 2534	Briana D. Sewell	Nonhospitalized Individuals; Crisis Stabilization Services.	Department of Medical Assistance Services; state plan for medical assistance services; crisis stabilization services for nonhospitalized individuals. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to seek federal approval to remove the prohibition against the use of crisis stabilization services for nonhospitalized individuals in institutions for mental disease. The bill directs the Department to promulgate regulations to implement such changes to be effective within 280 days of receiving federal approval. This bill is identical to SB 1304.	S Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N) (2/18)
SB 1094	Emily M. Jordan	Involuntary Temporary Detention Orders; Amends Definition Of "psychiatric Emergency Department."	Involuntary temporary detention orders; definition of 'psychiatric emergency department.' Amends the definition of 'psychiatric emergency department' as it relates to involuntary temporary detention orders to remove the requirement that a psychiatric emergency department be located adjacent to a facility licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and to add requirements that a psychiatric emergency department (i) be licensed by either the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services or the Department of Health and (ii) provide that at least one physician who is primarily responsible for the emergency department be on duty and physically present at all times that the hospital is operating an emergency service. This bill applies to hospitals with a psychiatric emergency department located in the City of Hampton for the purpose of employing certain trained individuals to perform evaluations to determine whether a person meets the criteria for temporary detention for behavioral health treatment and has an expiration date of July 1, 2026, and is identical to HB 1895.	G Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (3/5)
SB 1194	R. Creigh Deeds	Law-enforcement Agencies And Officers; Establishing Training Course For Certain Arrests.	Department of Criminal Justice Services; training on certain arrests. Requires the Department of Criminal Justice Services to establish a training course for law-enforcement agencies and officers on the discretion such officers can exercise regarding certain arrests. The bill requires that such training include (i) instruction on the scope and nature of law-enforcement officer discretion in arrest decisions, with particular emphasis on encounters with individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, including individuals currently subject to an emergency custody order, a temporary detention order, or an involuntary admission order, and (ii) instruction on the immediate and long-term effects of arrests on individuals in need of mental health services due to a mental health crisis, including impacts on treatment outcomes as identified in substantially accepted peer-reviewed research literature by January 1, 2026. The bill requires any person employed as a law-enforcement officer prior to January 1, 2026, to complete such training by July 1, 2026 and biennially thereafter, and any person employed as a law-enforcement officer after January 1, 2026 to complete the training within one year of his date of hire and biennially thereafter. Lastly, the bill directs the Criminal Justice Services Board to promulgate regulations pursuant to relevant law requiring in-person training to special conservators of the peace on the provisions of the bill and other existing statutes related to the arrest and prosecution of persons with mental or behavioral health disorders by January 1, 2026. The bill requires any person appointed as a special conservator of the peace prior to January 1, 2026, to complete the training by July 1, 2026 and biennially thereafter, and any person appointed as a special conservator of the peace after January 1, 2026 to complete the training within one year of his appointment and biennially thereafter. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Behavioral Health Commission. This bill is identical to HB 1712.	C Amended by conference committee (2/22)
SB 1304	Jeremy S. McPike	Nonhospitalized Individuals; Crisis Stabilization Services.	Department of Medical Assistance Services; state plan for medical assistance services; crisis stabilization services for nonhospitalized individuals; emergency. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to seek the necessary federal approvals to remove the prohibition against the use of crisis stabilization services for nonhospitalized individuals in institutions for mental disease and, upon receiving federal approval, (i) authorizes the Department of Medical Assistance Services to implement such change through agency guidance documents prior to the completion of any regulatory review process and (ii) directs it to promulgate regulations to implement such change to be effective within 280 days of receiving federal approval. This bill is identical to HB 2534.	G Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (3/3)