# Virginia HB1611: Human Resource Management, Department of; hiring on the basis of direct experience.

Virginia HB1611, Human Resource Management, Department of; hiring on the basis of direct experience., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Joshua G. Cole (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-03-24 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0475)) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1611-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1611
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Human Resource Management, Department of; hiring on the basis of direct experience.
- Status: to governor
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-03
- Last action: 2025-03-24, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0475)
- Sponsor: Joshua G. Cole (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 7 (312 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Department of Human Resource Management; hiring on the basis of direct experience. Prohibits any state agency from requiring as a condition of eligibility for hire to a position in state employment that an applicant have a baccalaureate degree. The bill provides an exception to such prohibition if the knowledge, skills, or abilities required for the position for which an applicant is applying can only reasonably be obtained, as determined by the appointing authority, through a course of study in pursuit of, and culminating in the award of, a baccalaureate degree. This bill is identical to SB 1014.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Joshua G. Cole (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-17 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-14 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 36 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-12 | Senate | Reported from General Laws and Technology | pass | 12 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-04 | House | Passed House Block Vote | pass | 99 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-04 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 97 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-30 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025-01-30 | House | Reported from General Laws with substitute | pass | 21 | 0 |   |

## Actions (33)

- 2025-03-24: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0475) (Governor)
- 2025-03-24: Approved by Governor-Chapter 475 (Effective 07/01/25) (Governor)
- 2025-03-03: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-03-03: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 3, 2025 (House)
- 2025-02-22: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1611) (House)
- 2025-02-19: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1611ER) (House)
- 2025-02-19: Enrolled (House)
- 2025-02-19: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-02-17: Passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-17: Read third time (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (36-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Reported from General Laws and Technology (12-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1611) (House)
- 2025-02-05: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Passed House Block Vote (99-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-04: Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House (House)
- 2025-02-04: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-03: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2025-02-03: General Laws Substitute agreed to (House)
- 2025-02-03: Read second time (House)
- 2025-02-02: Read first time (House)
- 2025-01-30: Committee substitute printed 25106595D-H1 (House)
- 2025-01-30: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-30: Reported from General Laws with substitute (21-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-30: Incorporates HB2572(Leftwich) (House)
- 2025-01-28: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1611) (House)
- 2025-01-27: Assigned GL sub: Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process (House)
- 2025-01-03: Referred to Committee on General Laws (House)
- 2025-01-03: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25100114D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1076839.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1076838.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2025-02-19: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1057351.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1057350.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-01-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036440.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036225.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036172.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036439.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036171.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036224.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-01-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012284.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012283.PDF)

## Related bills

- HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted)
- SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed)
- HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed)
- HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed)
- SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed)
- HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1076839.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1076838.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1057351.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1057350.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036440.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036225.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036172.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036439.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036171.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036224.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012284.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012283.PDF)

## Related
- [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025)
- [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025)
- [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025)
- [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025)
- [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025)
- [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1611-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).