# Virginia HB1980: Employment health and safety standards; heat illness prevention.

Virginia HB1980, Employment health and safety standards; heat illness prevention., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Phil M. Hernandez (Democratic); status failed, last action 2025-02-14 (Passed by indefinitely in Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 2-N)) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1980-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1980
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Employment health and safety standards; heat illness prevention.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-07
- Last action: 2025-02-14, Passed by indefinitely in Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 2-N)
- Sponsor: Phil M. Hernandez (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Finance and Appropriations
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 5 (88 yes, 68 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Employment health and safety standards; heat illness prevention. Requires the Safety and Health Codes Board to adopt regulations establishing reasonable standards designed to protect employees from heat illness and establish a list of high-hazard industries, as defined in the bill. The bill authorizes a person aggrieved by a violation of its provisions or the regulations promulgated thereunder to seek to obtain injunctive relief, to recover statutory damages of $1000, or both, in an action commenced within one year of the cause of action. The bill requires the Safety and Health Codes Board, in consultation with the Department of Labor and Industry, to develop a list of high-hazard industries by January 1, 2026, and to develop and adopt regulations requiring employers in high-hazard industries to implement standards for heat illness prevention by May 1, 2026.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Phil M. Hernandez (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-14 | Senate | Passed by indefinitely in Finance and Appropriations | pass | 11 | 2 |   |
| 2025-02-10 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 9 | 6 |   |
| 2025-02-03 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 51 | 48 |   |
| 2025-01-28 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s) | pass | 12 | 10 |   |
| 2025-01-23 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) | pass | 5 | 2 | 1 |

## Actions (19)

- 2025-02-14: Passed by indefinitely in Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 2-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-13: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1980) (House)
- 2025-02-10: Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-10: Committee substitute printed 25107055D-S1 (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2025-02-03: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1980) (House)
- 2025-02-03: Read third time and passed House (51-Y 48-N) (House)
- 2025-01-31: Printed as engrossed 25102494D-E (House)
- 2025-01-31: Engrossed by House as amended (House)
- 2025-01-31: Labor and Commerce Amendments agreed to (House)
- 2025-01-31: Read second time (House)
- 2025-01-30: Read first time (House)
- 2025-01-28: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1980) (House)
- 2025-01-28: Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s) (12-Y 10-N) (House)
- 2025-01-23: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (5-Y 2-N) (House)
- 2025-01-14: Assigned L & C sub: Subcommittee #2 (House)
- 2025-01-07: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House)
- 2025-01-07: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-13-2025 25102494D (House)

## Bill text

- Substitute, 2025-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1046166.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1046165.PDF)
- Engrossed, 2025-01-31: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1032984.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1032983.PDF)
- Amendment, 2025-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1027889.HTML)
- Introduced, 2025-01-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014321.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014319.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
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1046166.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1046165.PDF)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1032984.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1032983.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1027889.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014321.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014319.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1980-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).