Laws are passed by the General Assembly; they prescribe or prohibit conduct and are applied by courts, government agencies and private parties. Typically, laws which regulate health professions contain scopes of practice, provide grounds for disciplinary action, set requirements for licensure, create criminal penalties for unauthorized practice, regulate drugs, and grant authority to health regulatory boards to make regulations, and to license and discipline practitioners.
Regulations are rules adopted by administrative agencies, including health regulatory boards, that supplement and implement law. Some regulations include requirements for licensure, set fees, establish standards of practice and address administrative matters such as license renewal, application procedures, etc. Regulations have the force and effect of law. Agencies go through a long process of proposal, review and public comment prior to adoption of final regulations.
Find laws and regulations which pertain to all Health Professions as well as link to laws for a specific board. Department of Health Professions Laws and Regulations
Guidance documents are adopted by boards and agencies to describe how to interpret or implement laws and rules for the public or agency staff. Guidance documents are intended to assist in the administration or application of law or regulations, but are not typically cited when enforcing a law or rule. Department of Health Professions Guidance Documents
The Virginia Department of Planning & Budget has designed a Regulatory Town Hall for anyone interested in the proposal of regulations or meetings of regulatory boards.
Regulatory Town Hall
The online Legislative Information System allows you to track bills in the Virginia House and Senate, search the Code of Virginia and Virginia Regulations, and follow the activity of the current legislative session.
Legislative Information System