# Virginia HB494: Virginia Personnel Act; hiring preference in state government, certain former federal employees.

Virginia HB494, Virginia Personnel Act; hiring preference in state government, certain former federal employees., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Elizabeth R. Guzman (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-06 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0154)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB494-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB494
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Virginia Personnel Act; hiring preference in state government, certain former federal employees.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-12
- Last action: 2026-04-06, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0154)
- Sponsor: Elizabeth R. Guzman (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 11 (233 yes, 110 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

Virginia Personnel Act; hiring preference in state government; certain former federal employees. Allows for an applicant's status as a former federal employee to be given consideration when applying for employment with the Commonwealth if such applicant was terminated from a position of employment with the federal government on or after January 1, 2025, due to a reduction in the federal budget or initiatives put in place by the federal Department of Government Efficiency, provided that such person meets all of the knowledge, skill, and ability requirements for the available position. The bill directs the Department of Human Resource Management, on or before January 1 of each year, to submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly that includes the number of job applications submitted by candidates who self-identified as former federal employees, as well as the number of jobs offered to such candidates. The bill has an expiration date of January 21, 2029.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Temporary hiring boost for former federal workers: mixed, low. The law lets Virginia give hiring consideration to certain former federal employees. You qualify if you were terminated on or after January 1, 2025. The cause must be federal budget cuts or actions by the Department of Government Efficiency. You must apply for a state job and meet all knowledge, sk…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Elizabeth R. Guzman (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-04 | House | Senate amendment agreed to by House | pass | 63 | 33 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | General Laws and Technology Amendment agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Passed Senate with amendment | pass | 21 | 19 |   |
| 2026-02-27 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 37 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-27 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-25 | Senate | Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendment | pass | 9 | 6 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 61 | 35 |   |
| 2026-02-09 | House | Reported from Appropriations with substitute | pass | 15 | 7 |   |
| 2026-02-06 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 5 | 2 |   |
| 2026-02-03 | House | Reported from General Laws with substitute and referred to Appropriations | pass | 15 | 6 |   |
| 2026-01-29 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations | pass | 7 | 2 |   |

## Actions (45)

- 2026-04-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0154) (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Approved by Governor-Chapter 154 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-12: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-11: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB494) (House)
- 2026-03-11: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB494ER) (House)
- 2026-03-11: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-11: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Senate amendment agreed to by House (63-Y 33-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-02: Passed Senate with amendment (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: General Laws and Technology Amendment agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendment (9-Y 6-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB494) (House)
- 2026-02-16: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Read third time and passed House (61-Y 35-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-12: Engrossed by House - committee substitute as amended (House)
- 2026-02-12: Delegate Guzman Floor amendments agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-12: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-12: committee substitute rejected (House)
- 2026-02-12: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-12: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB494) (House)
- 2026-02-12: Floor Offered (House)
- 2026-02-11: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-09: Committee substitute printed 26107309D-H2 (House)
- 2026-02-09: Reported from Appropriations with substitute (15-Y 7-N) (House)
- 2026-02-06: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 2-N) (House)
- 2026-02-06: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-02-05: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB494) (House)
- 2026-02-03: Committee substitute printed 26105902D-H1 (House)
- 2026-02-03: Reported from General Laws with substitute and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 6-N) (House)
- 2026-02-03: Assigned HAPP sub: General Government and Capital Outlay (House)
- 2026-01-29: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-01-29: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 2-N) (House)
- 2026-01-22: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB494) (House)
- 2026-01-19: Assigned HGL sub: Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process (House)
- 2026-01-12: Referred to Committee on General Laws (House)
- 2026-01-12: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102456D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216746.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216745.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199304.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199303.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-03-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1189059.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-02-26: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1182072.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-02-25: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1181391.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-02-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143112.HTML)
- Engrossed, 2026-02-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143280.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143279.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1135806.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1134014.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1134013.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1135805.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133379.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133378.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115304.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115303.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1102738.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103320.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1102737.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103319.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084682.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084681.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216746.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216745.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199304.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199303.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1189059.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1182072.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1181391.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143112.HTML)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143280.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143279.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1135806.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1134014.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1134013.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1135805.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133379.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133378.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115304.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115303.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1102738.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103320.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1102737.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103319.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084682.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084681.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [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-HB494-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).