Virginia Delegate’s Nursing Home Study Bill Moves Forward After Emotional Plea: “Shameful” Oversight Record

Richmond, Va. — A Virginia lawmaker is pushing for a wide-ranging review of nursing home oversight after saying the state has fallen short in holding facilities accountable for resident care.

Del. Delores McQuinn, a Democrat who represents parts of Henrico and Chesterfield counties, along with Charles City County, told lawmakers she wants to launch a workgroup study to identify what reforms may be needed across Virginia’s nursing home system. McQuinn said the issue has weighed on her since learning that a facility in her district — Henrico Health and Rehabilitation Center — was flagged by the federal government as one of the nation’s worst-performing nursing homes.

The facility is part of the federal Special Focus Facility program, which places certain nursing homes with repeated, serious violations under increased scrutiny.

McQuinn said she could not ignore what she learned.

“After reading and hearing about it, I dare not sit on the sideline and not do something,” she said.

A sweeping study aimed at staffing, ownership, and enforcement

McQuinn’s proposal, House Bill 1357, would direct the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services to convene a workgroup tasked with completing a comprehensive study of nursing home quality outcomes and the systems meant to safeguard residents.

The study would examine staffing levels, inspection and enforcement activity, ownership structures, and financial practices — including related-party transactions and real estate arrangements — along with Medicaid reimbursement, public transparency, and disparities in access to care.

The workgroup would include residents and family members, facility staff, advocates, and regulators. A report would be due by Nov. 1, 2026.

McQuinn framed the study as a starting point for understanding where money, accountability, and safety standards may be breaking down.

“It is looking at ownership. It’s looking at financially, who’s getting paid and how much resources are going back to those individuals that are there? We’re looking at the safety,” she said. “It’s a comprehensive study that would give us a greater understanding of what’s going on and then how we can address some of those challenges.”

Questions about mandates — and a pushback focused on residents

McQuinn grew emotional while presenting the measure to a General Assembly committee, telling members she views the issue as a moral failure.

“I try not to get emotional, but this is one of those things that is shameful. It’s really shameful that as an institution, that we have not done a better job,” she said.

The committee voted to advance the proposal, though one Republican lawmaker, Del. Timothy Griffin, raised concerns about whether the study could ultimately recommend new requirements for privately operated nursing homes.

“My concern, and my question is, could the study conclude that private nursing homes are going to have new requirements that they’re going to have to fund?” Griffin asked.

Del. Kathy Tran, a Democrat, pushed back against assuming where the study might land, arguing the priority should be protecting residents.

“I would hope that we don’t presuppose the outcome of any study and that any study places first and foremost the well-being of the most vulnerable people that those facilities are caring for, rather than the interests of any corporations or businesses that are running those facilities,” Tran said.