# Virginia SB1188: International licensure and certification; regulations.

Virginia SB1188, International licensure and certification; regulations., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Stella G. Pekarsky (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-03-19 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0153)) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1188-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB1188
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: International licensure and certification; regulations.
- Status: to governor
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-08
- Last action: 2025-03-19, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0153)
- Sponsor: Stella G. Pekarsky (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 8 (298 yes, 5 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; international licensure and certification; regulations. Directs the regulatory boards within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation to promulgate regulations allowing the issuance of a license or certification to any applicant who holds a comparable international license or certification issued by another country. This bill is identical to HB 1940.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Stella G. Pekarsky (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-14 | Senate | House Amendment agreed to by Senate | pass | 36 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-12 | House | Passed House with amendment | pass | 92 | 5 |   |
| 2025-02-06 | House | Reported from General Laws with amendment(s) | pass | 21 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-31 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-31 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-30 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025-01-29 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-22 | Senate | Reported from General Laws and Technology and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 |   |

## Actions (33)

- 2025-03-19: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0153) (Governor)
- 2025-03-19: Approved by Governor-Chapter 153 (Effective 07/01/25) (Governor)
- 2025-03-03: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-03-03: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 3, 2025 (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB1188) (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1188ER) (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-02-14: House Amendment agreed to by Senate (36-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Passed House with amendment (92-Y 5-N) (House)
- 2025-02-12: Engrossed by House as amended (House)
- 2025-02-12: General Laws Amendment agreed to (House)
- 2025-02-12: Read third time (House)
- 2025-02-11: Passed by for the day (House)
- 2025-02-11: Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar (House)
- 2025-02-10: Read second time (House)
- 2025-02-06: Reported from General Laws with amendment(s) (21-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-06: Referred to Committee on General Laws (House)
- 2025-02-06: Read first time (House)
- 2025-02-06: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2025-01-31: Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Read second time and engrossed (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 1-A) (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB1188) (Senate)
- 2025-01-22: Reported from General Laws and Technology and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-08: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology (Senate)
- 2025-01-08: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25104529D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2025-03-19: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1071644.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1071643.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2025-02-18: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054133.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054132.PDF)
- Amendment, 2025-02-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1048377.HTML)
- Amendment, 2025-02-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1043341.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1043363.HTML)
- Introduced, 2025-01-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018136.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018135.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
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1071644.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1071643.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054133.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054132.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1048377.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1043341.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1043363.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018136.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018135.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1188-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).