Commending the Nursing Advocacy Initiative.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Amy Laufer

Commends the Nursing Advocacy Initiative for its data-driven, nurse-led advocacy, growing nurse ambassadors, and impact on health policy and patient outcomes.

Bill text as passed House (HR126ER)

Overview

What it is: House Resolution 126, adopted by the Virginia House of Delegates on February 23, 2026.

Purpose: To commend the Nursing Advocacy Initiative (NAI) affiliated with UVA Health University Medical Center for its contributions to nursing, health care policy, and patient outcomes.

Status: Enrolled; the House adopted the resolution by voice vote and forwarded a copy for presentation to the Nursing Advocacy Initiative. The official enrolled text indicates the resolution is an expression of admiration and commendation.

What the bill does

Core action: Acknowledges and commends the Nursing Advocacy Initiative as a nurse-led, nonpartisan, data-driven professional advocacy program.

Recognition of work: Highlights the initiative’s:

Data-driven policy and advocacy training for nurses.
Development of nurse ambassadors who engage in advocacy on health care issues.
Growth in the number of nurse ambassadors and year-round engagement with health care issues.
Alignment with the mission of UVA Health University Medical Center, a magnet-designated hospital recognized for nursing excellence (top 10 percent nationwide).

Key provisions and themes

Advocacy impact: Notes that the NAI has:

Demonstrated commitment to cultivating positive work environments for nurses.
Encouraged nursing clinical excellence.
Contributed to positive patient outcomes.
Provided a model for other hospitals and health care organizations.

Policy influence: The initiative has advocated for legislation related to:

Maternal health
Health care workforce development
Affordable health care

Leadership and empowerment: Emphasizes elevating nursing expertise and enabling nurses to engage with legislators, thereby inspiring broader participation in health care advocacy.

Recognition and dissemination: Calls for formal recognition and a copy of the resolution to be presented to the Nursing Advocacy Initiative.

Who is affected

Primary beneficiaries: The Nursing Advocacy Initiative and its nurse ambassadors.

Institutional impact: UVA Health University Medical Center (the parent institution) in the sense of recognition of its associated advocacy program and its leadership in nursing excellence.

Policy community: Legislators and health policy stakeholders who are highlighted as beneficiaries of nurse-led, data-driven advocacy.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Sponsor: Co-sponsor Amy Laufer.

Recent actions:

February 23, 2026: Agreed to by the House of Delegates by voice vote; engrossed.
February 23, 2026: Passed the House (HR126ER).
April 16, 2026: Bill text as passed by the House (enrolled status).

Next steps: The Clerk of the House is to prepare and present a copy of the resolution to the Nursing Advocacy Initiative.

Notes

The resolution is ceremonial and symbolic in nature, recognizing and praising the contributions of a health-care advocacy program rather than creating new legally enforceable obligations or funding.

If you’d like, I can add a short one-page brief for policymakers or a lay summary for the public with a Q&A format.

Bill