Virginia Commerce and Labor (S02) Committee Docket — 2025-02-10

Summary

Docket for a Virginia Commerce and Labor (S02) committee meeting dated 2025-02-10 at 16:30, in the 2025 Regular session, chaired by R. Creigh Deeds (D) with a list of staff members. It lists bills from HB1609 to HB2764 with patrons and summaries. Topics include an infertility coverage review in HB1609, offshore wind workforce training in HB1616, ending farm-worker minimum wage exemptions in HB1625, unemployment compensation, health insurance, workers' compensation and electric utilities, and HB2764 on collective bargaining by public employees, which would create a Public Employee Relations Board.

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TITLE: Virginia Commerce and Labor (S02) Committee Docket — 2025-02-10
DATE: 2025-02-10T16:30:00
SESSION: 2025 Regular (20251)
CHAMBER: Senate

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
  - R. Creigh Deeds (D) Chair

STAFF: Horton, Andrew, Swall, Amanda, Thomas Stevens, Kinzer, Sarah                 , Ali, Marvi

DOCKET / AGENDA:

[Senate Bill in Committee]
  1. HB1609 - Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment.
       Patron(s): Helmer
       Summary: Health insurance; coverage for fertility services; essential health benefits benchmark plan. Requires the Health Insurance Reform Commission to consider coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility and for standard fertility preservation procedures in its 2025 review of the essential health benefits benchmark plan.
  2. HB1616 - Offshore Wind Industry Workforce Program and Fund; established, report, sunset.
       Patron(s): Feggans
       Summary: Department of Energy; workforce development in offshore wind industry. Directs the Director of the Department of Energy to identify and develop training resources to advance workforce development in the offshore wind industry in the Commonwealth.
  3. HB1625 - Minimum wage; farm laborers or farm employees; temporary foreign workers.
       Patron(s): McClure
       Summary: Minimum wage; farm laborers or farm employees; temporary foreign workers. Eliminates the exemptions from Virginia's minimum wage requirements for (i) persons employed as farm laborers or farm employees and (ii) certain temporary foreign workers.
  4. HB1628 - Fire insurance; assignment of claims prohibited.
       Patron(s): Keys-Gamarra
       Summary: Fire insurance; assignment of claims prohibited. Prohibits a fire insurance policy or a fire insurance policy in combination with other coverages from assigning or otherwise transferring, in whole or in part, to any other person the duties, rights, or benefits of the insured under the policy arising from a claim or covered loss without written consent of the insurer. Any such contract provision is void and unenforceable under the bill. This bill is identical to SB 1154.
  5. HB1641 - State plan for medical assistance services and health insurance; pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome.
       Patron(s): Hope
       Summary: State plan for medical assistance services and health insurance; pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome. Directs the Board of Medical Assistance Services to amend the state plan for medical assistance services to include a provision for payment of medical assistance for the prophylaxis, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS) and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) that includes payment for
  6. HB1682 - Surplus lines broker taxes; certain insurance policies.
       Patron(s): Cohen
       Summary: Surplus lines broker taxes; certain insurance policies. Provides that any surplus lines broker or any person required to be licensed as one shall not be subject to the annual taxes, license taxes, or penalties under current law for any policy of insurance procured during the preceding calendar year on behalf of a commuter rail system jointly operated by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation District beginning in calendar year 2025. This bill is identical to SB 1269.
  7. HB1724 - Prescription Drug Affordability Board; established, drug cost affordability review, report.
       Patron(s): Delaney
       Summary: Prescription Drug Affordability Board established; drug cost affordability review. Establishes the Prescription Drug Affordability Board for the purpose of protecting the citizens of the Commonwealth and other stakeholders within the health care system from the high costs of prescription drug products. The bill requires the Board to meet in open session at least four times annually, with certain exceptions and requirements enumerated in the bill. Members of the Board are required to disclose any conflicts of interest, as described in the bill. The bill also creates a stakeholder council for th
  8. HB1766 - Unemployment compensation; increases weekly benefit amounts, report.
       Patron(s): Martinez
       Summary: Unemployment compensation; increase weekly benefit amounts; report. Provides that, for unemployment compensation claims effective on or after January 1, 2026, an eligible individual's weekly benefit amount shall be $52 higher than the current weekly benefit amount, as denoted in the table in the printed bill. The bill directs the Commission on Unemployment Compensation, in consultation with the Virginia Employment Commission, to convene a work group to study making annual adjustments to individual weekly benefit amounts based on the average weekly wage. As introduced, this bill was a recommend
  9. HB1767 - Unemployment benefits; maximum duration.
       Patron(s): Martinez
       Summary: Unemployment benefits; maximum duration. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2025, for claims effective on or after July 1, 2025, an eligible individual's weekly unemployment compensation benefit amount shall be paid for a maximum duration of 26 weeks.
  10. HB1779 - Carbon-free energy or clean energy; definition of fusion energy.
       Patron(s): Sullivan
       Summary: Carbon-free energy or clean energy; fusion energy; definitions. Adds fusion energy, as defined in the bill, to the list of generation sources that qualify as carbon-free energy or clean energy. This bill is identical to SB 1338.
  11. HB1791 - Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund; established and created.
       Patron(s): Sullivan
       Summary: Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund created. Creates the Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund to assist private developers with non-utility costs associated with the installation of electric vehicle charging stations (i) in certain localities; (ii) on eligible public land, as defined in the bill; or (iii) within one mile of the boundary of eligible public land. The bill provides that a private developer may apply for a grant in an amount equal to 70 percent of the private developer's non-utility costs for the installation of such public electric vehicle cha
  12. HB1796 - Corporations; creates a regulatory framework for decentralized autonomous organizations.
       Patron(s): Helmer
       Summary: Corporations; decentralized autonomous organizations. Creates a regulatory framework for decentralized autonomous organizations, defined in the bill as a distinct legal entity that operates through blockchain-based governance frameworks, incorporating self-executing smart contracts and decentralized decision-making mechanisms. The bill provides that an entity seeking to become a decentralized autonomous organization must file its articles of organization with the State Corporation Commission in order to seek a certificate of organization and requires such articles of organization to designate
  13. HB1828 - Health insurance; cost sharing for breast examinations.
       Patron(s): Simonds
       Summary: Health insurance; cost sharing for breast examinations. Prohibits health insurance carriers from imposing cost sharing for diagnostic breast examinations and supplemental breast examinations, as those terms are defined in the bill, under certain insurance policies, subscription contracts, and health care plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in the Commonwealth on and after January 1, 2026. The bill provides that such examinations include examinations using diagnostic mammography, breast magnetic resonance imaging, or breast ultrasound. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation
  14. HB1921 - Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties, effective date.
       Patron(s): Ward
       Summary: Employment; paid sick leave; civil penalties. Expands provisions of the Code that currently require one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked for home health workers to cover all employees of private employers and state and local governments. The bill requires that employees who are employed and compensated on a fee-for-service basis accrue paid sick leave in accordance with regulations adopted by the Commissioner of Labor and Industry. The bill provides that employees transferred to a separate division or location remain entitled to previously accrued paid sick leave and that empl
  15. HB1923 - Health insurance; reimbursement for services rendered by certain practitioners, etc.
       Patron(s): Ward
       Summary: Health insurance; reimbursement for services rendered by certain practitioners other than physicians. Requires health insurers and health service plan providers whose policies or contracts cover services that may be legally performed by a licensed certified midwife or licensed midwife to provide equal coverage for such services. The bill requires the reimbursement for a service provided by a licensed certified midwife or licensed midwife to be in the same amount as the reimbursement paid under the policy to a certified nurse midwife performing such service in the area served, subject to certai
  16. HB1928 - Minimum wage.
       Patron(s): Ward
       Summary: Minimum wage. Increases the minimum wage incrementally to $15.00 per hour by January 1, 2027. The bill codifies the adjusted state hourly minimum wage of $12.41 per hour that is effective January 1, 2025, and increases the minimum wage to $13.50 per hour effective January 1, 2026, and to $15.00 per hour effective January 1, 2027. The bill requires the Commissioner of Labor and Industry to establish an adjusted state hourly minimum wage by October 1, 2027.
  17. HB1933 - Workers' compensation; presumption as to death or disability from throat cancer.
       Patron(s): LeVere Bolling
       Summary: Workers' compensation; throat cancer. Provides that for the purposes of the workers' compensation presumption as to death or disability from certain types of cancer, throat cancer includes cancer that forms in the tissues of the pharynx, larynx, adenoid, tonsil, esophagus, trachea, nasopharynx, oropharynx, or hypopharynx. This bill applies only to diseases diagnosed on or after July 1, 2025. This bill is identical to SB 920.
  18. HB1934 - Electric utilities; generation of electricity from renewable and zero carbon sources.
       Patron(s): LeVere Bolling
       Summary: Electric utilities; generation of electricity from renewable and zero carbon sources; projects on or adjacent to public elementary or secondary schools. Provides that for purposes of compliance with a renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS) program, to the extent that low-income qualifying projects, as defined in existing law, are not available and projects located on or adjacent to public elementary or secondary schools are available, a certain percentage of the required projects shall be composed of projects located on or adjacent to public elementary or secondary schools. This bill is ide
  19. HB1980 - Employment health and safety standards; heat illness prevention.
       Patron(s): Hernandez
       Summary: Employment health and safety standards; heat illness prevention. Requires the Safety and Health Codes Board to adopt regulations establishing reasonable standards designed to protect employees from heat illness and establish a list of high-hazard industries, as defined in the bill. The bill authorizes a person aggrieved by a violation of its provisions or the regulations promulgated thereunder to seek to obtain injunctive relief, to recover statutory damages of $1000, or both, in an action commenced within one year of the cause of action. The bill requires the Safety and Health Codes Board, in
  20. HB2060 - Workers' compensation benefits; post-traumatic stress disorder incurred by firefighters, etc.
       Patron(s): Krizek
       Summary: Workers' compensation benefits; post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder incurred by law-enforcement officers and firefighters. Increases from 52 weeks to 104 weeks the maximum duration after the date of diagnosis that workers' compensation benefits are payable for post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder incurred by law-enforcement officers and firefighters acting in the line of duty.
  21. HB2085 - Health insurance; carrier business practices, method of payment for claims.
       Patron(s): Shin
       Summary: Health insurance; carrier business practices; method of payment for transactions. Requires a health insurance carrier to notify the provider in a provider contract if the carrier, or entity completing a transaction on behalf of the carrier, uses a payment method that imposes a transaction or processing fee or similar charge on the provider and to offer the provider an alternative payment method that does not impose such a fee or similar charge. If the provider elects to accept the alternative payment method and has provided all required information to the carrier to enroll in such alternative
  22. HB2089 - Collective bargaining; individual home care providers.
       Patron(s): Shin
       Summary: Collective bargaining; individual home care providers. Establishes within the Department of Medical Assistance Services the Virginia Home Care Authority to ensure the effectiveness and quality of the services of home care programs in the Commonwealth. The bill authorizes individual providers, as defined in the bill, to select an exclusive bargaining representative and to collectively bargain with the Virginia Home Care Authority regarding matters including wages, benefits, and all terms and conditions of employment that are within the Authority's control. The bill's provisions do not become ef
  23. HB2097 - Health insurance; coverage requirements for prostate cancer screenings.
       Patron(s): Austin
       Summary: Health insurance; coverage requirements for prostate cancer screenings. Updates existing mandated coverage requirements for prostate cancer screenings to reflect updated tests and guidelines from the American Cancer Society while also removing certain references to American Cancer Society Guidelines. Updated coverage requirements apply to health care coverage companies, the health care coverage plan for state employees, and the state plan for medical assistance services. The bill's provisions apply only to contracts, policies, or plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in the Commonwe
  24. HB2099 - Health insurance; required provisions regarding prior authorization for health care services.
       Patron(s): Maldonado
       Summary: Health insurance; carrier contracts; required provisions regarding prior authorization for health care services; work group; report. Requires certain health insurance contracts under which an insurance carrier has the right or obligation to require prior authorization for a health care service, as defined in the bill, to include provisions governing the prior authorization process. Such required provisions include (i) time limits for a carrier to respond to prior authorization requests, (ii) a prohibition on revoking, limiting, making conditional, modifying, or restricting a previously approve
  25. HB2100 - Medicare supplement policies; annual open enrollment period, individual Medicare policies, etc.
       Patron(s): Maldonado
       Summary: Medicare supplement policies; annual open enrollment period. Requires an insurer, health services plan, or health maintenance organization issuing individual Medicare supplement policies or certificates in the Commonwealth to offer to an individual currently insured under any such policy an annual open enrollment period commencing on the day of the individual's birthday and remaining open for at least 60 days thereafter, during which time the individual may purchase any Medicare supplement policy made available by any insurer in the Commonwealth that offers the same benefits as those provided
  26. HB2113 - Solar Interconnection Grant Program; established, sunset, report.
       Patron(s): Herring
       Summary: Solar Interconnection Grant Fund and Program; established; sunset. Establishes the Solar Interconnection Grant Program for the purpose of awarding grants on a competitive basis to public bodies to offset costs associated with the interconnection of solar facilities to the grid. The Program is administered by the Division of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency of the Department of Energy. The bill requires that priority be given to solar facilities located on previously developed project sites. The bill requires the Division to establish and publish guidelines and criteria for the awarding o
  27. HB2136 - Public Utility Ombudsman,Office of the; established, effective date.
       Patron(s): Keys-Gamarra
       Summary: Office of the Public Utility Ombudsman; established. Requires the State Corporation Commission to establish the Office of the Public Utility Ombudsman to protect the interests of residential customers of public utilities. The Office of the Public Utility Ombudsman shall serve (i) residential customers of public utilities that are jurisdictional or of limited jurisdiction and (ii) residential customers who cannot be assisted by other Commission staff due to a potential conflict of interest. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.
  28. HB2266 - Electric utilities; distribution cost sharing program established, etc.
       Patron(s): Tran
       Summary: State Corporation Commission; distribution cost sharing program; required distribution system upgrades. Directs the State Corporation Commission by July 1, 2026, to establish by regulation a distribution cost sharing program for Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power to construct distribution system upgrades required to interconnect participating projects, as defined in the bill. The bill directs the Commission to require each such utility to file any tariffs, agreements, or forms necessary for the implementation of the program by December 1, 2026, and to submit a report on the impleme
  29. HB2346 - Virtual power plant pilot program; each Phase II Utility shall petition SCC for approval to conduct.
       Patron(s): Hernandez
       Summary: Electric utilities; virtual power plant pilot program. Requires Dominion Energy Virginia to petition the State Corporation Commission for approval to conduct a pilot program to evaluate methods to optimize demand through various technology applications, including the establishment of virtual power plants, by December 1, 2025. The bill requires the pilot program to evaluate electric grid capacity needs and the ability of such virtual power plants to provide grid services, including peak-shaving, during times of peak electric demand. This bill is identical to SB 1100.
  30. HB2356 - Prevailing wage rate; apprenticeship requirements, RPS-eligible source work, penalties.
       Patron(s): Mundon King
       Summary: Prevailing wage rate; apprenticeship requirements; RPS-eligible source work; penalties. Requires each public service company, including its contractors and subcontractors, or third-party developer to ensure payment at the prevailing wage rate set by the Department of Labor and Industry for any mechanic, laborer, or worker employed, retained, or otherwise hired to perform construction, maintenance, or repair work for certain electricity generating sources. The bill requires each public service company to (i) ensure that 15 percent of the total labor hours of such work is performed by qualified
  31. HB2371 - Health insurance; coverage for contraceptive drugs and devices.
       Patron(s): Mundon King
       Summary: Health insurance; coverage for contraceptive drugs and devices. Requires health insurance carriers to provide coverage, under any health insurance contract, policy, or plan that includes coverage for prescription drugs on an outpatient basis, for contraceptive drugs and contraceptive devices, as defined in the bill, including those available over-the-counter. The bill prohibits a health insurance carrier from imposing upon any person receiving contraceptive benefits pursuant to the provisions of the bill any copayment, coinsurance payment, or fee, except in certain circumstances. This bill is
  32. HB2392 - Health insurance; pharmacy benefits managers, definition of "covered entity."
       Patron(s): Sickles
       Summary: Health insurance; pharmacy benefits managers; definition of covered entity. Removes hospitals, as defined in existing law, from the exemption to the definition of covered entity for the purposes of existing law relating to pharmacy benefits managers. This bill is identical to SB 1311.
  33. HB2401 - Child labor; child engaged in the work of content creation, trust account.
       Patron(s): Glass
       Summary: Child labor; child engaged in the work of content creation; trust account. Requires that a child under the age of 16 who meets certain criteria specified in the bill to be considered a child engaged in the work of content creation be compensated by the content creator, defined in the bill, whose video content includes such child's likeness, name, or photograph. The bill requires the content creator to set aside gross earnings on the video content that includes the likeness, name, or photograph of the child in a trust account to be preserved for the benefit of the child upon attaining 18 years
  34. HB2426 - Small renewable energy projects; amends definition, permit by rule.
       Patron(s): Callsen
       Summary: Small renewable energy projects; permit by rule. Amends the definition of "small renewable energy project" for the purposes of obtaining a permit by rule from the Department of Environmental Quality to include interconnection facilities, as defined in the bill. The bill requires that the Department of Environmental Quality and the State Corporation Commission enter into a memorandum of understanding to implement the provisions of the bill. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.
  35. HB2495 - Firefighters and emergency medical services providers; collective bargaining.
       Patron(s): Askew
       Summary: Collective bargaining by firefighters and emergency medical services providers. Authorizes firefighters and emergency medical services providers employed by a political subdivision of the Commonwealth to engage in collective bargaining through labor organizations or other designated representatives. The bill establishes the Fire Service Cooperation Board to administer its provisions. The bill provides for the appointment of a three-member board of arbitration regarding any dispute arising between an employer and firefighters or emergency medical services providers. Under the bill, determinatio
  36. HB2509 - Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank; established, report.
       Patron(s): Lopez
       Summary: Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Board established; report. Continues the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank (the Bank) as a division of the Department of Energy to implement the provisions of the bill and approve expenditures and disbursements from the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Fund. The bill describes the powers of duties of the Bank and requires certain lending practices. The bill requires the Bank to develop and adopt a strategic plan biennially starting in 2025 to develop programs to overcome market impediments through access to Bank financing and technical assistance and outrea
  37. HB2531 - Paid family and medical leave insurance program; definitions, notice requirements, civil action.
       Patron(s): Sewell
       Summary: Paid family and medical leave insurance program; notice requirements; civil action. Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to establish and administer a paid family and medical leave insurance program with benefits beginning January 1, 2028. Under the program, benefits are paid to covered individuals, as defined in the bill, for family and medical leave. Funding for the program is provided through premiums assessed to employers and employees beginning January 1, 2027. The bill provides that the amount of a benefit is 80 percent of the employee's average weekly wage, not to exceed 120 perc
  38. HB2537 - Energy storage requirements; Department of Energy, et al., to develop model ordinances, reports.
       Patron(s): Sullivan
       Summary: Electric utilities; energy storage requirements; Department of Energy and Department of Environmental Quality to develop model ordinances; work groups; reports. Increases the targets for energy storage capacity that Appalachian Power and Dominion Energy Virginia are required to petition the State Corporation Commission for approval to construct, acquire, or procure and extends the time frame by which such capacity must be met. Under the bill, (i) Appalachian Power shall petition the Commission for approval to construct, acquire, or procure at least 780 megawatts of short-duration energy storag
  39. HB2619 - Private companies providing public transportation services; employee protections.
       Patron(s): Helmer
       Summary: Private companies providing public transportation services; employee protections. Requires the governing body or transportation district commission of any county or city that contracts with a private company to provide transportation services to (i) require such company to provide any employee of such company providing such services compensation and benefits that are, at a minimum, equivalent to the compensation and benefits provided to a public employee, as defined in the bill, with a position requiring equivalent qualifications and years of service; (ii) provide transportation services throu
  40. HB2743 - Public service companies; prevailing wage rate for underground infrastructure works.
       Patron(s): Shin
       Summary: Prevailing wage rate for underground infrastructure works by public service companies. Directs the Department of Labor and Industry to determine and make available the prevailing wage rate for underground infrastructure work. Under the bill, each public service company shall ensure that its bid specifications or other contracts applicable to underground infrastructure works require payment at the prevailing wage rate. The bill requires contractors and subcontractors to post the prevailing wage rate in a prominent and accessible place at the work site. The bill also requires each contractor or
  41. HB2764 - Collective bargaining by public employees; exclusive bargaining representatives.
       Patron(s): Tran
       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 wage

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