# Virginia SB288: Protection of employees; standards for heat illness prevention, report.

Virginia SB288, Protection of employees; standards for heat illness prevention, report., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Lashrecse D. Aird (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0732)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB288-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB288
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Protection of employees; standards for heat illness prevention, report.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0732)
- Sponsor: Lashrecse D. Aird (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 13 (278 yes, 160 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

Protection of employees; standards for heat illness prevention; Safety and Health Codes Board. Requires the Safety and Health Codes Board (the Board) to adopt regulations designed to protect workers from heat illness, as defined in the bill, during indoor and outdoor work. The bill provides that such regulations shall be enforced by the Board's existing authority. The bill directs the Board, in consultation with the Department of Labor and Industry, to develop and adopt regulations that require employers to implement heat illness prevention plans and to convene an advisory panel to assist in developing such regulations. This bill is identical to HB 1092.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Heat rulemaking deadline and enforcement: benefit, low. The Board must finish heat illness prevention regulations by May 1, 2028, with the Department of Labor and Industry. The Board must consider Virginia’s 2021 draft and standards from OSHA, NIOSH, ACGIH, ANSI, Maryland, Oregon, and California. The Board forms an advisory panel; at least half are empl…
- Stronger heat safety rules at work: mixed, medium. The law requires employers to protect indoor and outdoor workers from heat illness. Employers must provide cool water and, when practicable, shade or climate control. They must allow rest breaks, time to acclimatize, and training. They must use heat and high-heat procedures at Board-set temperature…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Lashrecse D. Aird (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-13 | House | Conference report agreed to by House | pass | 62 | 33 |   |
| 2026-03-13 | Senate | Conference report agreed to by Senate | pass | 21 | 18 |   |
| 2026-03-06 | Senate | Senate acceded to request Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | House substitute rejected by Senate | fail | 0 | 40 |   |
| 2026-02-27 | House | Passed House with substitute | pass | 61 | 34 |   |
| 2026-02-24 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute | pass | 15 | 6 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 21 | 18 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | Senate | Committee substitute rejected (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | Senate | Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute | pass | 10 | 5 |   |
| 2026-02-02 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 8 | 6 | 1 |

## Actions (49)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0732) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 732 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-04-02: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB288) (Senate)
- 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 (Senate)
- 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB288ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB288) (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Conference report agreed to by House (62-Y 33-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-13: Conference Report released
- 2026-03-12: House Conferees: Hernandez, Ward, Oates (House)
- 2026-03-12: Conferees appointed by House (House)
- 2026-03-06: Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Senate Conferees: Aird, Surovell, McDougle (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Conferees appointed by Senate (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: House requested conference committee (House)
- 2026-03-04: House insisted on substitute (House)
- 2026-03-03: House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Passed House with substitute (61-Y 34-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-27: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-27: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-27: Read third time (House)
- 2026-02-26: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-25: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB288) (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Committee substitute printed 26108468D-H1 (House)
- 2026-02-24: Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (15-Y 6-N) (House)
- 2026-02-18: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House)
- 2026-02-18: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-18: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-16: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB288) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Committee substitute rejected (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Committee substitute printed 26107621D-S2 (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (10-Y 5-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: Committee substitute printed 26106889D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB288) (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 6-N 1-A) (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105398D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222231.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222230.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213727.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213726.PDF)
- Conference Report, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210550.HTML)
- Substitute, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210546.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210545.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-25: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179330.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179329.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1140145.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1140144.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108461.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108460.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1107612.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1107611.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088542.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088541.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/1222231.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222230.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213727.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213726.PDF)
- [Conference Report (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210550.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210546.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210545.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179330.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179329.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1140145.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1140144.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108461.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108460.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1107612.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1107611.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088542.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088541.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-SB288-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).