# Virginia SB853: Prevailing wage rate; apprenticeship requirements, RPS-eligible source work, penalties. Virginia SB853, Prevailing wage rate; apprenticeship requirements, RPS-eligible source work, penalties., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Aaron R. Rouse (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-04-02 (Senate sustained Governor's veto) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB853-2025 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB853 - State: Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Prevailing wage rate; apprenticeship requirements, RPS-eligible source work, penalties. - Status: to governor - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-03 - Last action: 2025-04-02, Senate sustained Governor's veto - Sponsor: Aaron R. Rouse (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 5 (130 yes, 81 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Prevailing wage rate; apprenticeship requirements; RPS-eligible source work; penalties. Requires each public service company, including its contractors and subcontractors, or third-party developer to ensure payment at the prevailing wage rate set by the Department of Labor and Industry for any mechanic, laborer, or worker employed, retained, or otherwise hired to perform construction, maintenance, or repair work for certain electricity generating sources. The bill requires each public service company to (i) ensure that 15 percent of the total labor hours of such work is performed by qualified apprentices and (ii) employ at least one qualified apprentice if four or more individuals are employed to perform such work. Under the bill, a public service company that fails to meet the requirements of its provisions is required to make penalty payments to the Commissioner of Labor and Industry. This bill is identical to HB 2356. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Aaron R. Rouse (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-02-12 | House | Passed House | pass | 50 | 47 | | | 2025-02-06 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce | pass | 11 | 10 | | | 2025-01-24 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 20 | 18 | | | 2025-01-22 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2025-01-20 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute | pass | 9 | 6 | | ## Actions (31) - 2025-04-02: Senate sustained Governor's veto (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2025-03-25: Vetoed by Governor (Governor) - 2025-02-20: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor) - 2025-02-20: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on February 20, 2025 (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB853) (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB853ER) (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Enrolled (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-02-12: Passed House (50-Y 47-N) (House) - 2025-02-12: Read third time (House) - 2025-02-11: Passed by for the day (House) - 2025-02-10: Read second time (House) - 2025-02-06: Reported from Labor and Commerce (11-Y 10-N) (House) - 2025-02-05: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House) - 2025-02-05: Read first time (House) - 2025-02-05: Placed on Calendar (House) - 2025-01-24: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB853) (Senate) - 2025-01-24: Read third time and passed Senate (20-Y 18-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-23: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate) - 2025-01-23: Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to (Senate) - 2025-01-23: Reading of substitute waived (Senate) - 2025-01-23: Read second time (Senate) - 2025-01-22: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-22: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2025-01-22: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2025-01-20: Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (9-Y 6-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-20: Committee substitute printed 25105468D-S1 (Senate) - 2025-01-03: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate) - 2025-01-03: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25102569D (Senate) ## Bill text - Veto Explanation, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073607.HTML) - Enrolled, 2025-02-17: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1049794.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1049793.PDF) - Substitute, 2025-01-21: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024291.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024290.PDF) - Introduced, 2025-01-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013616.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013615.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 - [Veto Explanation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073607.HTML) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1049794.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1049793.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024291.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024290.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013616.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013615.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) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB853-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).