# Virginia SB771: Workers' compensation; burial expenses, annual adjustment.

Virginia SB771, Workers' compensation; burial expenses, annual adjustment., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Jeremy S. McPike (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0832)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB771-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB771
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Workers' compensation; burial expenses, annual adjustment.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-22
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0832)
- Sponsor: Jeremy S. McPike (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 8 (312 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

Workers' compensation; burial expenses; annual adjustment. Increases from $10,000 to $15,000 the amount required to be paid by an employer under workers' compensation provisions for burial expenses. The bill directs the Commissioner of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission to adjust the amount of burial expenses and reasonable transportation expenses required to be paid by an employer by a percentage equivalent to the percentage increase of the United States Average Consumer Price Index published by the U.S. Department of Labor beginning January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Higher burial help for workers’ families: benefit, high. Virginia raises employer-paid burial support from $10,000 to $15,000 when a covered work accident causes death within nine years. Employers also pay reasonable transportation costs for the deceased worker, up to $1,000. Beginning January 1, 2028, both limits adjust annually for inflation using the…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Jeremy S. McPike (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-02 | House | Passed House Block Vote | pass | 98 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | House | Passed House Block Vote | pass | 99 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-25 | House | Reported from Appropriations | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-06 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-05 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-04 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-04 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-02 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor | pass | 13 | 0 |   |

## Actions (29)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0832) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 832 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB771) (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB771ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-02: Passed House Block Vote (99-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-02: Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House (House)
- 2026-03-02: Passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-02: Read third time (House)
- 2026-02-27: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-25: Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-12: Referred to Committee on Appropriations (House)
- 2026-02-12: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-12: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-11: Assigned HAPP sub: General Government and Capital Outlay (House)
- 2026-02-09: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB771) (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Reported from Commerce and Labor (13-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-22: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate)
- 2026-01-22: Presented and ordered printed 26104613D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222928.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222927.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-05: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191391.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191390.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1094330.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1094329.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/1222928.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222927.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191391.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191390.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1094330.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1094329.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-SB771-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).