# Virginia HB69: Retail franchise agreements; governing law, competition restrictions.

Virginia HB69, Retail franchise agreements; governing law, competition restrictions., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Dan I. Helmer (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0553)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB69-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB69
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Retail franchise agreements; governing law, competition restrictions.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-12-30
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0553)
- Sponsor: Dan I. Helmer (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 11 (394 yes, 2 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

Retail franchise agreements; governing law; competition restrictions. Provides that retail franchise agreements shall be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth and prohibits any person from offering or entering into a franchise agreement that includes competition restrictions that extend beyond termination or expiration of the franchise agreement, except as a term of sale in the event that a franchisee sells a franchise to a third party or back to the franchisor. This bill is identical to SB 240.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- New contract rules for Virginia franchisees: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, Virginia law governs covered retail franchise contracts. Coverage requires a written agreement using the franchisor’s marketing system and brand, with a franchise fee of at least $500. The business must also be expected or required to maintain a Virginia location, including…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Dan I. Helmer (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-12 | House | Senate substitute agreed to by House | pass | 95 | 2 |   |
| 2026-03-11 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-11 | Senate | Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-11 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-11 | Senate | Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 37 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-28 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 97 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-22 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-20 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 9 | 0 |   |

## Actions (34)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0553) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor - Chapter 553 (effective - 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB69) (House)
- 2026-03-31: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB69ER) (House)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Senate substitute agreed to by House (95-Y 2-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-12: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB69) (House)
- 2026-03-11: Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Committee substitute printed 26109317D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-01-27: Read second time and engrossed (House)
- 2026-01-26: Read first time (House)
- 2026-01-22: Reported from Labor and Commerce (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-20: Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-19: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB69) (House)
- 2026-01-15: Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #1 (House)
- 2025-12-30: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House)
- 2025-12-30: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100313D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218734.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218733.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213347.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213346.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-03-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1201758.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1200743.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1201757.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1200742.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-12-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1082266.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1082265.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/1218734.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218733.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213347.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213346.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1201758.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1200743.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1201757.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1200742.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1082266.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1082265.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB69-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).