Virginia bills · 2026 Regular Session
Virginia HB 494
Virginia Personnel Act; hiring preference in state government, certain former federal employees.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became law
Sponsors
- Elizabeth R. Guzman (Democratic)
Cosponsors (10)
- Virgil Thornton (Democratic)
- Charlie Schmidt
- John Chilton McAuliff
- Michelle Lopes Maldonado
- Patrick A. Hope (Democratic)
- Rozia A. Henson, Jr. (Democratic)
- Nadarius E. Clark (Democratic)
- Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie
- Joshua G. Cole (Democratic)
- Stacey Annie Carroll
Summary
Official abstract published by the Virginia legislature· SUMMARY AS PASSED
Virginia Personnel Act; hiring preference in state government; certain former federal employees. Allows for an applicant's status as a former federal employee to be given consideration when applying for employment with the Commonwealth if such applicant was terminated from a position of employment with the federal government on or after January 1, 2025, due to a reduction in the federal budget or initiatives put in place by the federal Department of Government Efficiency, provided that such person meets all of the knowledge, skill, and ability requirements for the available position. The bill directs the Department of Human Resource Management, on or before January 1 of each year, to submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly that includes the number of job applications submitted by candidates who self-identified as former federal employees, as well as the number of jobs offered to such candidates. The bill has an expiration date of January 21, 2029.
Text versions
- Introduced
- Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process Subcommittee Substitute
- General Laws Substitute
- General Government and Capital Outlay Subcommittee Substitute
- Appropriations Substitute
- Engrossed
- Delegate Guzman Amendments
- General Laws and Technology Amendment
- Senate Amendment
- Enrolled
- Chaptered
Roll-call votes
State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 8:06 AM.
| Date | Vote | Result | Your legislators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 4, 2026 House | H VOTE: | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 2, 2026 Senate | Passage R | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 27, 2026 Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 25, 2026 Senate | Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendment | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 13, 2026 House | H VOTE: | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 9, 2026 House | Reported from Appropriations with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 6, 2026 House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 3, 2026 House | Reported from General Laws with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Jan 29, 2026 House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
Actions
- Apr 6, 2026
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0154) - Apr 6, 2026
Approved by Governor-Chapter 154 (effective 7/1/2026) - Mar 14, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 - Mar 14, 2026 · House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 - Mar 12, 2026 · House
Signed by Speaker - Mar 11, 2026 · Senate
Signed by President - Mar 11, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB494) - Mar 11, 2026 · House
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB494ER) - Mar 11, 2026 · House
Enrolled - Mar 4, 2026 · House
Senate amendment agreed to by House (63-Y 33-N 0-A) - Mar 2, 2026 · Senate
Passed Senate with amendment (21-Y 19-N 0-A) - Mar 2, 2026 · Senate
Engrossed by Senate as amended - Mar 2, 2026 · Senate
General Laws and Technology Amendment agreed to - Mar 2, 2026 · Senate
Read third time - Feb 27, 2026 · Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) - Feb 27, 2026 · Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A) - Feb 27, 2026 · Senate
Rules suspended - Feb 25, 2026 · Senate
Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendment (9-Y 6-N) - Feb 25, 2026 · Senate
Senate committee offered - Feb 17, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB494) - Feb 16, 2026 · Senate
Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology - Feb 16, 2026 · Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) - Feb 13, 2026 · House
Read third time and passed House (61-Y 35-N 0-A) - Feb 12, 2026 · House
Engrossed by House - committee substitute as amended - Feb 12, 2026 · House
Delegate Guzman Floor amendments agreed to - Feb 12, 2026 · House
committee substitute agreed to - Feb 12, 2026 · House
committee substitute rejected - Feb 12, 2026 · House
Read second time - Feb 12, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB494) - Feb 12, 2026 · House
Floor offered Delegate Guzman Amendments - Feb 11, 2026 · House
Read first time - Feb 9, 2026 · House
Committee substitute printed 26107309D-H2 - Feb 9, 2026 · House
Reported from Appropriations with substitute (15-Y 7-N) - Feb 6, 2026 · House
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 2-N) - Feb 6, 2026 · House
House subcommittee offered - Feb 5, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB494) - Feb 3, 2026 · House
Committee substitute printed 26105902D-H1 - Feb 3, 2026 · House
Assigned HAPP sub: General Government and Capital Outlay - Feb 3, 2026 · House
Reported from General Laws with substitute and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 6-N) - Jan 29, 2026 · House
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 2-N) - Jan 29, 2026 · House
House subcommittee offered - Jan 22, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB494) - Jan 19, 2026 · House
Assigned HGL sub: Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process - Jan 12, 2026 · House
Referred to Committee on General Laws - Jan 12, 2026 · House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102456D