HB675
Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty.
Status:
Passed
Latest Action:
March 11, 2026
House: Senate substitute with amendment agreed to by House (64-Y 35-N 0-A)
Chief Patron:
Michelle Maldonado (D)
Session:
2026 Regular Session
Summary
As Introduced. Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status; civil penalty.
Prohibits an employer, including the Commonwealth and its agencies and political subdivisions, from using coercion or issuing a threat to an employee based on immigration status in furtherance of committing a violation of the Virginia Minimum Wage Act or provisions related to the payment of wages. An aggrieved employee is ... (More) permitted to file a complaint with the Commissioner of Labor and Industry within 180 days of the alleged coercive action or threat. The bill authorizes the Commissioner to investigate such complaints and, if the allegation is substantiated, to impose a civil penalty in the following amounts: (i) up to $5,000 for the first violation, (ii) up to $9,000 for the second violation, and (iii) up to $12,000 for any subsequent violation. The bill also authorizes the Commissioner to seek injunctive relief as may be necessary for enforcement. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/13/2026 - House: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103703D
- 01/13/2026 - House: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce
- 01/20/2026 - House: Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #2
- 02/04/2026 - House: Placed on Labor and Commerce Agenda
- 02/05/2026 - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 0-N)
- 02/09/2026 - House: Placed on Labor and Commerce Agenda
- 02/09/2026 - House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB675)
- 02/10/2026 - House: Reported from Labor and Commerce and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 7-N)
- 02/10/2026 - House: Referred to Committee on Appropriations
- 02/11/2026 - House: Assigned HAPP sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources
- 02/11/2026 - House: Placed on Appropriations Agenda
- 02/11/2026 - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 2-N)
- 02/11/2026 - House: Reported from Appropriations (15-Y 7-N)
- 02/12/2026 - House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB675)
- 02/13/2026 - House: Read first time
- 02/16/2026 - House: Read second time and engrossed
- 02/17/2026 - House: Read third time and passed House (61-Y 36-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 02/18/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- 02/18/2026 - Senate: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
- 02/25/2026 - Senate: Senate committee offered
- 02/25/2026 - Senate: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)
- 02/25/2026 - Senate: Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations
- 02/27/2026 - Senate: Committee substitute printed 26108658D-S1
- 03/04/2026 - Senate: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)
- 03/05/2026 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 03/05/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 03/05/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- 03/06/2026 - House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB675)
- 03/06/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- 03/09/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day
- 03/10/2026 - Senate: Read third time
- 03/10/2026 - Senate: Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to
- 03/10/2026 - Senate: Floor offered
- 03/10/2026 - Senate: Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote)
- 03/10/2026 - Senate: Senator Surovell Amendment agreed to
- 03/10/2026 - Senate: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute as amended
- 03/10/2026 - Senate: Passed Senate with substitute with amendment (21-Y 19-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 03/11/2026 - House: Senate substitute with amendment agreed to by House (64-Y 35-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
