# Virginia SB1218: L&E; covenants not to compete prohibited, low-wage employees, exceptions, civil penalty.

Virginia SB1218, L&E; covenants not to compete prohibited, low-wage employees, exceptions, civil penalty., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Richard H. Stuart (Republican); status to governor, last action 2025-03-24 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0585)) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1218-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB1218
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: L&E; covenants not to compete prohibited, low-wage employees, exceptions, civil penalty.
- Status: to governor
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-08
- Last action: 2025-03-24, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0585)
- Sponsor: Richard H. Stuart (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 7 (201 yes, 58 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Labor and employment; covenants not to compete prohibited; exceptions; civil penalty. Provides that, for the purposes of the prohibition in existing law against an employer entering into, enforcing, or threatening to enforce a covenant not to compete with any low-wage employee, "low-wage employee" includes an employee who, regardless of average weekly earnings, is entitled to overtime compensation under federal law for any hours worked in excess of 40 hours in any one workweek. Any employer that violates the bill's provisions is subject to a civil penalty in existing law of $10,000 for each violation.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Richard H. Stuart (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-18 | House | Passed House | pass | 49 | 47 |   |
| 2025-02-13 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce | pass | 12 | 10 |   |
| 2025-02-11 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025-01-30 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-30 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) | pass | 39 | 1 |   |
| 2025-01-29 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 38 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-27 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute | pass | 15 | 0 |   |

## Actions (33)

- 2025-03-24: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0585) (Governor)
- 2025-03-24: Approved by Governor-Chapter 585 (Effective 07/01/25) (Governor)
- 2025-03-05: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-03-05: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 5, 2025 (Senate)
- 2025-02-24: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB1218) (Senate)
- 2025-02-23: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1218ER) (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-02-18: Passed House (49-Y 47-N) (House)
- 2025-02-18: Read third time (House)
- 2025-02-17: Read second time (House)
- 2025-02-13: Reported from Labor and Commerce (12-Y 10-N) (House)
- 2025-02-12: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB1218) (Senate)
- 2025-02-11: Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-04: Assigned L & C sub: Subcommittee #2 (House)
- 2025-02-03: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House)
- 2025-02-03: Read first time (House)
- 2025-02-03: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2025-01-30: Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (39-Y 1-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Reading of substitute waived (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Read second time (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (38-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: Committee substitute printed 25106097D-S1 (Senate)
- 2025-01-08: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate)
- 2025-01-08: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25103924D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1077584.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1077583.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2025-02-20: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1060129.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1060128.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-01-28: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1030798.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1030797.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-01-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018273.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018272.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/1077584.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1077583.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1060129.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1060128.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1030798.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1030797.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018273.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018272.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-SB1218-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).