VA HB627 | 2026 | Regular Regular Session
Status
Completed Legislative Action
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4)
Status: Passed on May 14 2026 - 100% progression
Action: 2026-05-14 - Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1113)
Text: Latest bill text (Chaptered) [HTML]
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4)
Status: Passed on May 14 2026 - 100% progression
Action: 2026-05-14 - Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1113)
Text: Latest bill text (Chaptered) [HTML]
Summary
Covenants not to compete; health care professionals; civil penalty. Adds health care professionals as a category of employee with or upon whom no employer shall enter into, enforce, or threaten to enforce a covenant not to compete. The bill defines "health care professional" as any person licensed, registered, or certified by the Board of Medicine, Nursing, Counseling, Optometry, Psychology, or Social Work. The bill provides that any employer that violates the prohibition against covenants not to compete with a health care professional is subject to the civil penalty in current law of $10,000 for each violation. This bill is identical to SB 128.
Title
Covenants not to compete; includes health care professionals, civil penalty.
Sponsors
Roll Calls
2026-04-22 - Senate - Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Y: 39 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2026-04-22 - House - Governor's amendment no. 1 agreed to (96-Y 3-N 0-A) (Y: 96 N: 3 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2026-03-11 - House - Senate substitute agreed to by House (95-Y 2-N 0-A) (Y: 95 N: 2 NV: 0 Abs: 2) [PASS]
2026-03-09 - Senate - Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Y: 40 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-03-05 - Senate - Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Y: 39 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2026-03-04 - Senate - Reported from Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N) (Y: 14 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2026-02-23 - Senate - Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Y: 15 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-02-09 - House - Read third time and passed House (93-Y 5-N 0-A) (Y: 93 N: 5 NV: 0 Abs: 2) [PASS]
2026-02-03 - House - Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s) (20-Y 2-N) (Y: 20 N: 2 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-01-29 - House - Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (5-Y 2-N) (Y: 5 N: 2 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-04-22 - House - Governor's amendment no. 1 agreed to (96-Y 3-N 0-A) (Y: 96 N: 3 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2026-03-11 - House - Senate substitute agreed to by House (95-Y 2-N 0-A) (Y: 95 N: 2 NV: 0 Abs: 2) [PASS]
2026-03-09 - Senate - Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Y: 40 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-03-05 - Senate - Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Y: 39 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2026-03-04 - Senate - Reported from Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N) (Y: 14 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2026-02-23 - Senate - Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Y: 15 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-02-09 - House - Read third time and passed House (93-Y 5-N 0-A) (Y: 93 N: 5 NV: 0 Abs: 2) [PASS]
2026-02-03 - House - Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s) (20-Y 2-N) (Y: 20 N: 2 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-01-29 - House - Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (5-Y 2-N) (Y: 5 N: 2 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
History
| Date | Chamber | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-14 | Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1113) | |
| 2026-05-14 | Approved by Governor-Chapter 1113 (effective 7/1/2026) | |
| 2026-04-22 | Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 23, 2026 | |
| 2026-04-22 | House | Communicated to Governor |
| 2026-04-22 | Senate | Signed by President |
| 2026-04-22 | House | Signed by Speaker |
| 2026-04-22 | House | Reenrolled bill text (HB627ER2) |
| 2026-04-22 | House | Reenrolled |
| 2026-04-22 | Governor's recommendation adopted | |
| 2026-04-22 | Senate | Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (39-Y 0-N 0-A) |
| 2026-04-22 | House | Governor's amendment no. 2 passed by |
| 2026-04-22 | House | Governor's amendment no. 1 agreed to (96-Y 3-N 0-A) |
| 2026-04-11 | Governor's recommendation received by House | |
| 2026-04-02 | House | Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB627) |
| 2026-03-31 | Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 | |
| 2026-03-31 | House | Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 |
| 2026-03-31 | House | Signed by Speaker |
| 2026-03-30 | Senate | Signed by President |
| 2026-03-30 | House | Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB627ER) |
| 2026-03-30 | House | Enrolled |
| 2026-03-11 | House | Senate substitute agreed to by House (95-Y 2-N 0-A) |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Read third time |
| 2026-03-06 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) |
| 2026-03-05 | Senate | Passed by for the day (Voice Vote) |
| 2026-03-05 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) |
| 2026-03-05 | Senate | Rules suspended |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N) |
| 2026-02-24 | House | Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB627) |
| 2026-02-24 | Senate | Committee substitute printed 26108396D-S1 |
| 2026-02-23 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) |
| 2026-02-12 | House | Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB627) |
| 2026-02-10 | Senate | Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor |
| 2026-02-10 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) |
| 2026-02-09 | House | Read third time and passed House (93-Y 5-N 0-A) |
| 2026-02-06 | House | Engrossed by House as amended |
| 2026-02-06 | House | committee amendments agreed to |
| 2026-02-06 | House | Read second time |
| 2026-02-05 | House | Read first time |
| 2026-02-03 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s) (20-Y 2-N) |
| 2026-02-03 | House | Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB627) |
| 2026-01-29 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (5-Y 2-N) |
| 2026-01-29 | House | House subcommittee offered |
| 2026-01-20 | House | Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #2 |
| 2026-01-13 | House | Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce |
| 2026-01-13 | House | Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104135D |
