# Virginia HB2098: Labor & employment provisions; application of law, protection of employees, definition of employer. Virginia HB2098, Labor & employment provisions; application of law, protection of employees, definition of employer., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Michelle Lopes Maldonado (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-04-02 (House sustained Governor's veto) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2098-2025 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB2098 - State: Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Labor & employment provisions; application of law, protection of employees, definition of employer. - Status: to governor - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-07 - Last action: 2025-04-02, House sustained Governor's veto - Sponsor: Michelle Lopes Maldonado (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 7 (157 yes, 134 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Labor and employment provisions; application of law; payment of wages; definition of employer. Provides that the exemption for the Commonwealth or any of its agencies, institutions, or political subdivisions, or any public body, under Title 40.1 does not apply when expressly provided otherwise. The bill provides a definition of "public body" for Title 40.1. Additionally, the bill provides that for the purposes of various requirements related to the protection of employees, including the payment of wages, "employer" includes the Commonwealth and its agencies, institutions, and political subdivisions, or any public body. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Michelle Lopes Maldonado (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-02-20 | Senate | Passed Senate with amendment | pass | 20 | 19 | | | 2025-02-20 | House | Senate Amendment agreed to by House | pass | 51 | 44 | | | 2025-02-17 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 9 | 6 | | | 2025-02-17 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations with amendment | pass | 10 | 4 | | | 2025-02-03 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 50 | 48 | | | 2025-01-28 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute | pass | 12 | 10 | | | 2025-01-23 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 5 | 3 | 1 | ## Actions (33) - 2025-04-02: House sustained Governor's veto (House) - 2025-03-24: Vetoed by Governor (Governor) - 2025-03-11: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor) - 2025-03-11: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025 (House) - 2025-03-10: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-03-07: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2098) (House) - 2025-03-07: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB2098ER) (House) - 2025-03-07: Enrolled (House) - 2025-03-07: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-02-20: Passed Senate with amendment (20-Y 19-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Finance and Appropriations Amendment agreed to (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Read third time (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Senate Amendment agreed to by House (51-Y 44-N) (House) - 2025-02-20: Reading of amendment waived (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Read second time (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Read second time (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Reported from Finance and Appropriations with amendment (10-Y 4-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Reported from Commerce and Labor and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N) (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: Read third time and passed House (50-Y 48-N) (House) - 2025-01-31: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House) - 2025-01-31: Labor and Commerce Substitute agreed to (House) - 2025-01-31: Read second time (House) - 2025-01-30: Read first time (House) - 2025-01-29: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2098) (House) - 2025-01-28: Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (12-Y 10-N) (House) - 2025-01-28: Committee substitute printed 25105901D-H1 (House) - 2025-01-23: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 3-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 25104565D (House) ## Bill text - Veto Explanation, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073273.HTML) - Enrolled, 2025-03-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066939.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066938.PDF) - Amendment, 2025-02-20: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1064509.HTML) - Amendment, 2025-02-18: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1060084.HTML) - Substitute, 2025-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1027857.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1027856.PDF) - Introduced, 2025-01-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015089.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015088.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 - [Veto Explanation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073273.HTML) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066939.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066938.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1064509.HTML) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1060084.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1027857.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1027856.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015089.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015088.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-HB2098-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).