A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 4 of Title 32.1 an article numbered 6.01, consisting of sections numbered 32.1-122.10:0001 through 32.1-122.10:0005, relating to Regional Care Compacts Pilot Program established; workforce development; report.
HB1332 establishes the Regional Care Compacts Pilot Program within the Virginia Department of Health. The program is designed to encourage voluntary regional collaboration among hospitals, nursing homes, certified nursing facilities, home care organizations, and other approved health care entities to strengthen the workforce pipeline for certified nurse aides (CNAs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs). The bill directs the Department to designate three to five pilot regions, prioritizing areas with high vacancy rates, shortages in long-term care, post-acute care, or home-care capacity, or regions affected by reductions in federal workforce or health-related funding.
Under the bill, participating providers may form compacts to develop joint recruitment, training, clinical placement, apprenticeship, mentorship, tuition assistance, and retention efforts. Compacts may also pool resources, partner with schools, workforce boards, and private or philanthropic entities, and share workforce data subject to privacy and confidentiality laws. The bill expressly limits compacts from exercising regulatory authority, setting compensation or patient care rates, or engaging in conduct that would violate antitrust law. The Department would provide technical assistance and coordinate with other state workforce and licensing entities, using existing staff and resources to the extent practicable.
The bill would add a new article to Title 32.1 of the Code of Virginia and create a new state-administered pilot structure for health care workforce development. It would not mandate participation by providers, but it would authorize the Department to select pilot regions and oversee annual reporting from each compact, followed by a consolidated annual report to the Governor and General Assembly with recommendations on continuation, expansion, or modification. In practical terms, the bill would create a formal framework for regional health care employers to collaborate on CNA and LPN staffing shortages.
The general sentiment reflected in committee action appears favorable. The bill was reported out of the House Health and Human Services process with unanimous votes in subcommittee and full committee, and it advanced to Appropriations. That pattern suggests broad agreement on the need to address health care workforce shortages through a pilot program and regional collaboration.
The main points of caution are built into the bill itself rather than reflected in opposition during committee. The legislation emphasizes that participation is voluntary, that compacts cannot regulate wages or rates, and that all data sharing must comply with HIPAA and other confidentiality rules. These limitations appear intended to address concerns about employer coordination, privacy, and antitrust issues while keeping the program narrowly focused on workforce development.
HB1332 would amend the Code of Virginia by adding a new article in Title 32.1 establishing a state pilot program for regional health care workforce compacts. It would authorize the Department of Health to designate pilot regions, provide technical assistance, coordinate with related state entities, and collect annual reports, while allowing participating providers to collaborate on CNA and LPN recruitment and training. The bill would affect hospitals, nursing homes, certified nursing facilities, home care organizations, and other approved health care entities in selected regions, but it would not require participation or create new regulatory powers for the compacts.
Committee action indicates strong support for the bill. It received unanimous approval in subcommittee and full committee and was referred onward to Appropriations, suggesting that members viewed it as a practical response to health care staffing shortages. The absence of recorded dissent in the available votes points to a generally positive reception, especially around the bill’s pilot-program approach and its focus on workforce development rather than regulation.
No major opposition is reflected in the available committee votes or transcripts, but the bill anticipates likely concerns. The most notable issues are antitrust risk, privacy and data-sharing safeguards, and whether regional employer collaboration could affect compensation or employment terms. The bill addresses these concerns directly by prohibiting compacts from setting wages or patient care rates, barring unlawful conduct, and requiring compliance with HIPAA and state confidentiality rules. Another practical consideration is funding and administrative burden, since the Department is directed to implement the program using existing staff and resources to the maximum extent practicable.