House pass paid sick leave, prescription drug affordability bills

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) - Virginia House Democrats have passed bills to create a prescription drug affordability board and require employers to provide paid sick time off.

The House voted to create a prescription drug affordability board in Virginia. That board would have the power to cap the cost of certain prescription drugs if the board determines companies are charging more than necessary. 

Delegate Karrie Delaney (D- Fairfax), who wrote the bill, said the board will start by setting price limits for numerous drugs that have already had their prices lowered, but only for Medicare patients. 

“We’re gonna be able to mirror those exact same price limits and make sure that Virginians can have the same relief that we’re already seeing at the federal level,” Delaney told 8News. 

However, Republican Delegate Keith Hodges (R-Middlesex) says the board costs money, and similar boards in other states haven’t lowered costs. 

“Taxpayers deserve to have something back on their investment and deserve to have lower drug prices with that investment, Mr. Speaker, and this bill does not do that,” Hodges recently said on the House floor. 

Meanwhile, the House also passed a bill requiring employers in Virginia to provide their employees with paid sick time off. Under the bill, employees would accrue a minimum of one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours of work. 

Democrats say it’s good for business, but Republicans say there are significant costs associated with the policy. 

“When we have people that are choosing to go to work sick, or having to struggle with taking care of sick family members, that is just never gonna have a really positive outcome for the economy,” said Delaney. 

“Year one, $26.6 million, year two, $29.8 million, year three, $32.1 million, year four, $34.3 million,” Delegate Wren Williams (R-Patrick) said recently on the House floor, referring to the fiscal impact statement. 

The Senate has passed its own bill to create a prescription drug affordability board. That bill still needs to be considered by the House of Delegates. 

The Senate’s paid sick leave bill is still working its way through the legislative process.