All Roll Calls
Yes: 220 • No: 119
VirginiaHB19212025 Regular SessionHouse
Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties, effective date.
Sponsored By: Jeion A. Ward (Democratic)
To Governor
Summary
Employment; paid sick leave; civil penalties. Expands provisions of the Code that currently require one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked for home health workers to cover all employees of private employers and state and local governments. The bill requires that employees who are employed and compensated on a fee-for-service basis accrue paid sick leave in accordance with regulations adopted by the Commissioner of Labor and Industry. The bill provides that employees transferred to a separate division or location remain entitled to previously accrued paid sick leave and that employees retain their accrued sick leave under any successor employer. The bill allows employers to provide a more generous paid sick leave policy than prescribed by its provisions. Employees, in addition to using paid sick leave for their physical or mental illness or to care for a family member, may use paid sick leave for their need for services or relocation due to domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking. The bill provides that certain health care workers who work no more than 30 hours per month may waive the right to accrue and use paid sick leave. The bill also provides that employers are not required to provide paid sick leave to certain health care workers who are employed on a pro re nata, or as-needed, basis, regardless of the number of hours worked. The bill requires the Commissioner to promulgate regulations regarding employee notification and employer recordkeeping requirements. The bill authorizes the Commissioner, in the case of a knowing violation, to subject an employer to a civil penalty not to exceed $150 for the first violation, $300 for the second violation, and $500 for each successive violation. The Commissioner may institute proceedings on behalf of an employee to enforce compliance with the provisions of this bill. Additionally, an aggrieved employee is authorized to bring a civil action against the employer in which he may recover double the amount of any unpaid sick leave and the amount of any actual damages suffered as the result of the employer's violation. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
No Economic Impacts Identified for this Bill
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Jeion A. Ward
Democratic • House
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 2/20/2025
Passed Senate
Yes: 21 • No: 16
Senate vote • 2/20/2025
Defeated by Senate
Yes: 18 • No: 20
Senate vote • 2/20/2025
Reconsideration of defeated action agreed to by Senate
Yes: 38 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/19/2025
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)
Yes: 40 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/17/2025
Reported from Finance and Appropriations
Yes: 10 • No: 4
Senate vote • 2/10/2025
Reported from Commerce and Labor and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations
Yes: 9 • No: 6
House vote • 2/4/2025
Read third time and passed House
Yes: 51 • No: 47
House vote • 1/29/2025
Reported from Appropriations with amendment(s)
Yes: 11 • No: 10
House vote • 1/29/2025
Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s)
Yes: 5 • No: 3 • Other: 1
House vote • 1/28/2025
Reported from Labor and Commerce and referred to Appropriations
Yes: 12 • No: 10
House vote • 1/23/2025
Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations
Yes: 5 • No: 3 • Other: 1
Actions Timeline
House sustained Governor's veto
4/2/2025HouseVetoed by Governor
3/24/2025GovernorGovernor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025
3/11/2025GovernorEnrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025
3/11/2025HouseSigned by President
3/10/2025SenateFiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1921)
3/7/2025HouseBill text as passed House and Senate (HB1921ER)
3/7/2025HouseEnrolled
3/7/2025HouseSigned by Speaker
3/7/2025HousePassed Senate (21-Y 16-N)
2/20/2025SenateReconsideration of defeated action agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N)
2/20/2025SenateDefeated by Senate (18-Y 20-N)
2/20/2025SenateRead third time
2/20/2025SenateConstitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N)
2/19/2025SenatePassed by for the day
2/19/2025SenateRules suspended
2/19/2025SenateReported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 4-N)
2/17/2025SenateReported from Commerce and Labor and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N)
2/10/2025SenateFiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1921)
2/7/2025HouseReferred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
2/5/2025SenateConstitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2/5/2025SenateRead third time and passed House (51-Y 47-N)
2/4/2025HousePrinted as engrossed 25100193D-E
2/3/2025HouseEngrossed by House as amended
2/3/2025HouseAppropriations Amendment agreed to
2/3/2025House
Bill Text
Veto Explanation
3/24/2025
Enrolled
3/7/2025
Engrossed
2/3/2025
Amendment
1/29/2025
Introduced
1/6/2025
Related Bills
HR671, Commending JR's Auto Care.
Commending JR's Auto Care.
SB941, Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.
Robbery; air or gas operated weapon, etc.; penalty. Expands the crime of Class 3 felony robbery to include robbery committed by any person by using or displaying any air or gas operated weapon or any object similar in appearance to a firearm, whether capable of being fired or not.
HB1746, Public safety officer; definition.
Public safety officer; definition. Adds dispatchers and animal control officers to the definition of a public safety officer for purposes of possible selection by the Governor for the Commonwealth Public Safety Medal of Valor, presented for performance above and beyond the call of duty involving extraordinary valor in the face of grave danger, at great personal risk. However, the bill specifies that dispatchers and animal control officers are not included in the definition of public safety officer for the purpose of an injury where weather constitutes a particular risk of a public safety officer's employment to be compensable under the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act.
HB1600, Budget Bill.
Budget Bill. Amends items of and adds items to Chapter 2 of the Acts of Assembly of 2024, Special Session I.
SB1449, Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.
Siting of data centers; site assessment; high energy use facility. Provides that prior to any approval of a rezoning application, special exception application, or special use permit for the siting of a new high energy use facility (HEUF), as defined in the bill, a locality shall require that an applicant perform and submit a site assessment to examine the sound profile of the HEUF on residential units and schools located within 500 feet of the HEUF property boundary. The bill also allows a locality to require that a site assessment examine the effect of the proposed facility on (i) ground and surface water resources, (ii) agricultural resources, (iii) parks, (iv) registered historic sites, and (v) forestland on the HEUF site or immediately contiguous land. The provisions of the bill shall not apply to a site with an existing legislative or administrative approval where an applicant is seeking an expansion or modification of an already existing or approved facility and such expansion does not exceed an additional 100 megawatts or more of electrical power. Finally, the bill provides that its provisions shall not be construed to prohibit, limit, or otherwise supersede existing local zoning authority. This bill is identical to HB 1601.
HB1609, Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment.
Health insurance; coverage for fertility services; essential health benefits benchmark plan. Requires the Health Insurance Reform Commission to consider coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility and for standard fertility preservation procedures in its 2025 review of the essential health benefits benchmark plan.