Covenants not to compete; includes health care professionals, civil penalty.
Commonwealth of VirginiaVirginiaCovenants not to compete; health care professionals; civil penalty. Adds health care professionals as a category of employee with or upon whom no employer shall enter into, enforce, or threaten to enforce a covenant not to compete. The bill defines "health care professional" as any person licensed, registered, or certified by the Board of Medicine, Nursing, Counseling, Optometry, Psychology, or Social Work. The bill provides that any employer that violates the prohibition against covenants not to compete with a health care professional is subject to the civil penalty in current law of $10,000 for each violation. This bill is identical to SB 128.
- Status
- Passed
- Signed or otherwise enacted
- Status date
- May 14, 2026
- 182 days ago
- Current chamber
- House of Delegates
- Session
- 2026 Regular Session
VA HB 627 · PassedMay 14
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Bill details
- Last action
- Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1113) · May 14, 2026
Sponsors
CHCharniele HerringRepresentative · Democrat · HD-004Primary sponsorPrimary sponsor
SSShelly SimondsRepresentative · Democrat · HD-070
KTKathy TranRepresentative · Democrat · HD-018
DHDan HelmerRepresentative · Democrat · HD-010
Bill history
Newest first.
May 14, 2026Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1113)
May 14, 2026Approved by Governor-Chapter 1113 (effective 7/1/2026)
Apr 22, 2026Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 23, 2026
Apr 22, 2026Communicated to GovernorHouse
Apr 22, 2026Signed by PresidentSenate
Apr 22, 2026Signed by SpeakerHouse
Apr 22, 2026Reenrolled bill text (HB627ER2)House
Apr 22, 2026ReenrolledHouse
Show 40 earlier actions
Apr 22, 2026Governor's recommendation adopted
Apr 22, 2026Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (39-Y 0-N 0-A)Senate
Apr 22, 2026Governor's amendment no. 2 passed byHouse
Apr 22, 2026Governor's amendment no. 1 agreed to (96-Y 3-N 0-A)House
Apr 11, 2026Governor's recommendation received by House
Apr 2, 2026Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB627)House
Mar 31, 2026Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Mar 31, 2026Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026House
Mar 31, 2026Signed by SpeakerHouse
Mar 30, 2026Signed by PresidentSenate
Mar 30, 2026Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB627ER)House
Mar 30, 2026EnrolledHouse
Mar 11, 2026Senate substitute agreed to by House (95-Y 2-N 0-A)House
Mar 9, 2026Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)Senate
Mar 9, 2026Engrossed by Senate - committee substituteSenate
Mar 9, 2026Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed toSenate
Mar 9, 2026Read third timeSenate
Mar 6, 2026Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)Senate
Mar 5, 2026Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)Senate
Mar 5, 2026Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)Senate
Mar 5, 2026Rules suspendedSenate
Mar 4, 2026Reported from Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)Senate
Feb 24, 2026Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB627)House
Feb 24, 2026Committee substitute printed 26108396D-S1Senate
Feb 23, 2026Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)Senate
Feb 12, 2026Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB627)House
Feb 10, 2026Referred to Committee on Commerce and LaborSenate
Feb 10, 2026Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)Senate
Feb 9, 2026Read third time and passed House (93-Y 5-N 0-A)House
Feb 6, 2026Engrossed by House as amendedHouse
Feb 6, 2026committee amendments agreed toHouse
Feb 6, 2026Read second timeHouse
Feb 5, 2026Read first timeHouse
Feb 3, 2026Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s) (20-Y 2-N)House
Feb 3, 2026Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB627)House
Jan 29, 2026Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (5-Y 2-N)House
Jan 29, 2026House subcommittee offeredHouse
Jan 20, 2026Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #2House
Jan 13, 2026Referred to Committee on Labor and CommerceHouse
Jan 13, 2026Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104135DHouse
Recorded votes
Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (5-Y 2-N)Jan 29, 2026 · House · 5 yea · 2 nayPassedPassed
Read third time and passed House (93-Y 5-N 0-A)Feb 9, 2026 · House · 93 yea · 5 nayPassedPassed
Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s) (20-Y 2-N)Feb 3, 2026 · House · 20 yea · 2 nayPassedPassed
Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)Feb 23, 2026 · Senate · 15 yea · 0 nayPassedPassed
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)Mar 4, 2026 · Senate · 14 yea · 0 nayPassedPassed
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)Mar 5, 2026 · Senate · 39 yea · 0 nayPassedPassed
Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)Mar 9, 2026 · Senate · 40 yea · 0 nayPassedPassed
Senate substitute agreed to by House (95-Y 2-N 0-A)Mar 11, 2026 · House · 95 yea · 2 nayPassedPassed
Governor's amendment no. 1 agreed to (96-Y 3-N 0-A)Apr 22, 2026 · House · 96 yea · 3 nayPassedPassed
Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (39-Y 0-N 0-A)Apr 22, 2026 · Senate · 39 yea · 0 nayPassedPassed
Read the bill at the source
This page follows the bill as the legislature records it. For the bill's full text and the official record, use the legislature's own site.
Bill data from LegiScan, licensed under CC BY 4.0.