House Labor & Commerce committee reports wide package of labor, energy and transportation bills to appropriations
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Summary
After the SCC presentation the committee's subcommittees reported a long slate of bills out of committee, advancing measures on prevailing wage for underground infrastructure, building‑service worker protections, migrant labor camp permit timing, private provider transit employee protections, noncompete bans for health care professionals, paid family leave and multiple clean‑energy provisions.
The House Committee on Labor and Commerce advanced numerous bills from subcommittees during its meeting.
Subcommittee 2 (Chair Lopez) reported multiple labor bills including HB 260 (Delegate Simons), which would require prevailing wage specifications for underground infrastructure contracts entered on or after July 1, 2027; the full committee reported the bill with amendments and referred it to appropriations (vote 15–7). HB 338 (building service employee transition rules) was reported with a substitute and moved forward. HB 340 (Delegate Martinez) removes the December 31 expiration date for migrant labor camp permits and makes permit terms run 12 months from issuance; the committee passed it unanimously (22–0).
The committee also reported HB 547 (Delegate Helmer), which would require localities that contract with private companies for public transportation to require specified compensation and hiring protections for successor employers; the measure was reported and passed 15–7. A bill recorded in the transcript as "h b 6 7 6 2 7" (Delegate Herring) would bar employers from entering into or enforcing covenants not to compete with health care professionals and impose a $10,000 civil penalty per violation; the committee reported it with amendments (20–2). HB 865 (Delegate Cousins) expands a workers' compensation presumption of compensability to include certain cancers and was reported with amendments.
Subcommittee 3 (Chair Sullivan) reported energy and clean‑energy bills. The committee approved a smart solar permitting bill (transcript label HB 590) that would direct the Department of Energy to establish an internet‑based permitting platform and require localities to accept permit applications through the platform or an approved alternative by 01/01/2028; the bill was reported with a substitute and referred to appropriations. The panel also approved bills to increase brownfield renewable grant amounts and to direct the SCC to adopt pipeline leak detection and repair standards based on the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's Jan. 2025 final rule.
A major energy funding measure, recorded as HB 13 93 (Delegate Laveer Bolling), would set annual funding commitments for Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power pilot programs for energy assistance and weatherization, extend the pilots to 07/01/2038, and allow certain cost recovery for Dominion; committee discussion recorded Dominion pilot funding at not less than $156,000,000 and not more than $204,000,000 for the period beginning 07/01/2026 and ending 07/01/2038. The committee reported the substitute and passed the measure (vote recorded 22–0).
The committee also reported HB 1444 to create a Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank to finance clean energy and greenhouse‑gas reduction projects via grants, loans and credit enhancements; the measure was reported and referred to appropriations (15–7).
Where the record showed a voice or roll call, vote tallies are reported above. Multiple bills were reported to appropriations for fiscal review. Several measures were continued or incorporated into other bills per subcommittee recommendation. The committee adjourned after completing the subcommittee reports.