HB636
Prospective employer; prohibited from seeking wage or salary history of prospective employees.
Status:
Passed
Latest Action:
March 25, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Chief Patron:
Michelle Maldonado (D)
Session:
2026 Regular Session
Summary
As Passed House of Origin. Prohibiting employer seeking wage or salary history of prospective employees; wage or salary range transparency; cause of action.
Prohibits a prospective employer from (i) seeking the wage or salary history of a prospective employee; (ii) relying on the wage or salary history of a prospective employee in considering the prospective employee for employment; (iii) relying on the wage or salary history of a prospective employee in determining the ... (More) wages or salary the prospective employee is to be paid upon hire; (iv) refusing to interview, hire, employ, or promote or otherwise retaliating against a prospective or current employee for not providing wage or salary history or requesting a wage or salary range; (v) failing or refusing to disclose in each public and internal posting for each job, promotion, transfer, or other employment opportunity the wage, salary, or wage or salary range; and (vi) failing to set a wage or salary range in good faith. The bill establishes a cause of action for an aggrieved prospective employee or employee and provides that an employer that violates such prohibitions is liable to the aggrieved prospective employee or employee for statutory damages between $1,000 and $10,000 or actual damages, whichever is greater, reasonable attorney fees and costs, and any other legal and equitable relief as may be appropriate. This bill incorporates HB 1164. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/13/2026 - House: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102232D
- 01/13/2026 - House: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce
- 01/20/2026 - House: Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #2
- 01/30/2026 - House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB636)
- 02/04/2026 - House: Placed on Labor and Commerce Agenda
- 02/05/2026 - House: House subcommittee offered
- 02/05/2026 - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (4-Y 2-N)
- 02/09/2026 - House: Placed on Labor and Commerce Agenda
- 02/10/2026 - House: Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (16-Y 6-N)
- 02/10/2026 - House: Incorporates HB1164 (Cole, N.T.)
- 02/10/2026 - House: Committee substitute printed 26106771D-H1
- 02/11/2026 - House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB636)
- 02/12/2026 - House: Read first time
- 02/13/2026 - House: Read second time
- 02/13/2026 - House: committee substitute agreed to
- 02/13/2026 - House: Engrossed by House - committee substitute
- 02/16/2026 - House: Read third time and passed House (65-Y 33-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 02/17/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- 02/17/2026 - Senate: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
- 02/23/2026 - Senate: Senate committee offered
- 03/02/2026 - Senate: Senate committee offered
- 03/02/2026 - Senate: Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendment (8-Y 6-N)
- 03/04/2026 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 03/04/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 03/04/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
- 03/05/2026 - Senate: Read third time
- 03/05/2026 - Senate: Commerce and Labor Amendment agreed to
- 03/05/2026 - Senate: Engrossed by Senate as amended
- 03/05/2026 - Senate: Passed Senate with amendment (20-Y 19-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 03/09/2026 - House: Senate amendment agreed to by House (63-Y 34-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 03/14/2026 - House: Enrolled
- 03/14/2026 - House: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB636ER)
- 03/14/2026 - House: Signed by Speaker
- 03/14/2026 - Senate: Signed by President
- 03/16/2026 - House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB636)
- 03/25/2026 - House: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026
- 03/25/2026 - Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
