# Virginia SB917: Collective bargaining by public employees; exclusive bargaining representatives. Virginia SB917, Collective bargaining by public employees; exclusive bargaining representatives., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Scott A. Surovell (Democratic); status failed, last action 2025-04-02 (Senate sustained Governor's veto) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB917-2025 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB917 - State: Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Collective bargaining by public employees; exclusive bargaining representatives. - Status: failed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-05 - Last action: 2025-04-02, Senate sustained Governor's veto - Sponsor: Scott A. Surovell (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 12 (318 yes, 259 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Collective bargaining by public employees; exclusive bargaining representatives. Repeals the existing prohibition on collective bargaining by public employees. The bill creates the Public Employee Relations Board, which shall determine appropriate bargaining units and provide for certification and decertification elections for exclusive bargaining representatives of state employees and local government employees. The bill requires public employers and employee organizations that are exclusive bargaining representatives to meet at reasonable times to negotiate in good faith with respect to wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment. The bill repeals a provision that declares that, in any procedure providing for the designation, selection, or authorization of a labor organization to represent employees, the right of an individual employee to vote by secret ballot is a fundamental right that shall be guaranteed from infringement. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. This bill incorporates SB 964, SB 1033, and SB 1401 and is identical to HB 2764. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Scott A. Surovell (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-02-22 | Senate | Conference report agreed to by Senate | pass | 21 | 19 | | | 2025-02-22 | House | Conference report agreed to by House | pass | 51 | 45 | | | 2025-02-20 | Senate | Senate acceded to request Block Vote | pass | 38 | 0 | | | 2025-02-19 | Senate | House substitute rejected by Senate | fail | 0 | 40 | | | 2025-02-18 | House | Passed House with substitute | pass | 49 | 48 | | | 2025-02-18 | House | Passed House with substitute | pass | 50 | 47 | | | 2025-02-13 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute | pass | 12 | 10 | | | 2025-02-04 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 20 | 19 | | | 2025-02-03 | Senate | Senator Stanley, William M., Jr. Amendments rejected | fail | 19 | 21 | | | 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 with substitute | pass | 10 | 4 | | | 2025-01-24 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 9 | 6 | | ## Actions (58) - 2025-04-02: Senate sustained Governor's veto (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2025-03-24: Vetoed by Governor (Governor) - 2025-03-11: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor) - 2025-03-11: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025 (Senate) - 2025-03-10: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-03-07: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB917) (Senate) - 2025-03-07: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB917ER) (Senate) - 2025-03-07: Enrolled (Senate) - 2025-03-07: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-02-24: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB917) (Senate) - 2025-02-22: Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 19-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-22: Conference substitute printed 25108078D-S3 (Senate) - 2025-02-22: Amended by conference committee - 2025-02-22: Conference report agreed to by House (51-Y 45-N) (House) - 2025-02-20: Senate acceded to request Block Vote (38-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Senators: Surovell, Locke, Stanley (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Conferees appointed by Senate (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Delegates: Tran, Cousins, Webert (House) - 2025-02-20: Conferees appointed by House (House) - 2025-02-20: House requested conference committee (House) - 2025-02-20: House insisted on substitute (House) - 2025-02-19: House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Passed House with substitute (50-Y 47-N) (House) - 2025-02-18: Reconsideration of House passage agreed to by House (House) - 2025-02-18: Passed House with substitute (49-Y 48-N) (House) - 2025-02-18: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House) - 2025-02-18: Labor and Commerce Substitute agreed to (House) - 2025-02-18: Read third time (House) - 2025-02-17: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB917) (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Read second time (House) - 2025-02-13: Committee substitute printed 25107342D-H1 (House) - 2025-02-13: Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (12-Y 10-N) (House) - 2025-02-07: Read first time (House) - 2025-02-07: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House) - 2025-02-07: Placed on Calendar (House) - 2025-02-04: Read third time and passed Senate (20-Y 19-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-03: Senator Stanley, William M., Jr. Amendments rejected (Senate) - 2025-02-03: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate) - 2025-02-03: Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to (Senate) - 2025-02-03: Reading of substitute waived (Senate) - 2025-02-03: Commerce and Labor Substitute rejected (Senate) - 2025-02-03: Read second time (Senate) - 2025-01-31: Read second time and engrossed (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB917) (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 with substitute (10-Y 4-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-29: Incorporates SB1033(Pekarsky) (Senate) - 2025-01-29: Committee substitute printed 25106420D-S2 (Senate) - 2025-01-28: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB917) (Senate) - 2025-01-27: Committee substitute printed 25105790D-S1 (Senate) - 2025-01-24: Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-24: Incorporates SB1401 (Lucas) (Senate) - 2025-01-24: Incorporates SB964 (Carroll Foy) (Senate) - 2025-01-05: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate) - 2025-01-05: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25102162D (Senate) ## Bill text - Veto Explanation, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073658.HTML) - Enrolled, 2025-03-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1069296.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1069295.PDF) - Conference Report, 2025-02-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067844.HTML) - Substitute, 2025-02-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067854.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067853.PDF) - Substitute, 2025-02-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051611.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051610.PDF) - Amendment, 2025-02-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1038575.HTML) - Substitute, 2025-01-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1034626.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1034625.PDF) - Substitute, 2025-01-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1029219.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1029218.PDF) - Introduced, 2025-01-05: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013975.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013974.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/1073658.HTML) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1069296.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1069295.PDF) - [Conference Report (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067844.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067854.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067853.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051611.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051610.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1038575.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1034626.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1034625.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1029219.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1029218.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013975.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013974.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-SB917-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).