TITLE: Virginia Commerce and Labor (S02) Committee Docket — 2025-01-13
DATE: 2025-01-13T16:30:00
SESSION: 2025 Regular (20251)
CHAMBER: Senate
SOURCE_API: https://lis.virginia.gov/Calendar/api/GetDocketsByIdAsync?docketID=20643
COMMITTEE_PAGE: https://lis.virginia.gov/committee-details?committeeId=23&sessionCode=20251

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. SB780 - Health insurance; coverage for contraceptive drugs and devices.
       Patron(s): Carroll Foy
       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 
  2. SB788 - Workers' compensation; injuries caused by repetitive and sustained physical stressors.
       Patron(s): Head
       Summary: Workers' compensation; injuries caused by repetitive and sustained physical stressors. Provides that, for the purposes of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act, "occupational disease" includes injuries or diseases from conditions resulting from repetitive and sustained physical stressors, including repetitive and sustained motions, exertions, posture stresses, contact stresses, vibrations, or noises. The bill provides that such injuries or diseases are covered under the Act and that such coverage does not require that such repetitive or sustained physical stress occurred over a particular tim
  3. SB793 - Va. Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program; electronic filing, review of claims.
       Patron(s): Head
       Summary: Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program; electronic filing; review of claims. Requires electronic filing of claims under the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program. The bill requires such claims to include condensed and uncompressed fetal heart rate monitoring strips and prenatal records and increases from 10 to 21 days the timeframe in which the Program is required to file a response to a claim. The bill also increases from $3,000 to $6,000 the amount paid to the medical school that assesses and prepares a report for a claim.
  4. SB798 - Retail franchise agreements; governing law, competition restrictions.
       Patron(s): Head
       Summary: Retail franchise agreements; governing law; competition restrictions. Provides that retail franchise agreements shall be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth and prohibits any person from offering or entering into a franchise agreement that includes competition restrictions that extend beyond termination or expiration of the franchise agreement unless such settlement is approved by a court of competent jurisdiction.
  5. SB803 - Workers' compensation; injuries caused by repetitive and sustained physical stressors.
       Patron(s): McDougle
       Summary: Workers' compensation; injuries caused by repetitive and sustained physical stressors. Provides that, for the purposes of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act, \"occupational disease\" includes injuries or diseases from conditions resulting from repetitive and sustained physical stressors, including repetitive and sustained motions, exertions, posture stresses, contact stresses, vibrations, or noises. The bill provides that such injuries or diseases are covered under the Act and that such coverage does not require that such repetitive or sustained physical stress occurred over a particular t
  6. SB823 - Electric utilities; construction of renewable energy facilities.
       Patron(s): Rouse
       Summary: Electric utilities; construction of renewable energy facilities. Requires Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power, in constructing any renewable energy facility, to develop and submit a plan to the State Corporation Commission for review and approval that addresses the following considerations, to the extent not already addressed in existing filings: (i) options for utilizing local workers; (ii) the economic development benefits of the project for the Commonwealth, including capital investments and job creation; (iii) opportunities to advance the Commonwealth's workforce and economic de
  7. SB824 - State Corporation Commission; powers and duties.
       Patron(s): Rouse
       Summary: State Corporation Commission; powers and duties. Provides that in proceedings before the State Corporation Commission relating to the regulation and oversight of Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power, the Commission shall consider public health and safety, the economy of the Commonwealth, the promotion of workforce development for residents of the Commonwealth, and the maintenance of fair labor standards for workers employed by public service companies and their contractors, if applicable to the proceedings.
  8. SB850 - Water & wastewater utilities; eligible infrastructure replacement and enhancement.
       Patron(s): Surovell
       Summary: Water utilities and wastewater utilities; eligible infrastructure replacement and enhancement; cost recovery. Permits a water or wastewater utility to petition the State Corporation Commission for the approval of an eligible infrastructure replacement and enhancement plan, as defined in the bill. The bill requires that a water or wastewater utility that receives approval for an eligible infrastructure replacement and enhancement rider shall provide a proposed earnings test for informational purposes in each annual informational filing or base rate proceeding filed with the State Corporation Co
  9. SB853 - Prevailing wage rate; apprenticeship requirements, RPS-eligible source work, penalties.
       Patron(s): Rouse
       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 
  10. SB860 - Workers' compensation benefits; disorders induced by law-enforcement officers and firefighters.
       Patron(s): Reeves
       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 500 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. The bill also removes the prohibition on medical treatment, temporary total incapacity benefits, or temporary partial incapacity benefits from bein
  11. SB893 - Renewable energy portfolio standard program; geothermal heating and cooling systems, report.
       Patron(s): Surovell
       Summary: Renewable energy portfolio standard program; geothermal heating and cooling systems; report. For purposes of the renewable energy portfolio standard program, requires Dominion Energy Virginia and American Electric Power to procure and retire certain percentages of renewable energy certificates from geothermal heating and cooling systems, as defined in the bill, beginning with the 2026 or 2027 compliance year and thereafter. The bill amends the method by which renewable energy certificates from geothermal heating and cooling systems are calculated and directs the Commission on Electric Utility 
  12. SB897 - Overtime for certain employees; domestic service workers and live-in domestic workers.
       Patron(s): Carroll Foy
       Summary: Overtime for certain employees; domestic service workers and live-in domestic workers. Adds domestic workers, as defined in the bill, to provisions related to overtime pay. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 2469.
  13. SB902 - Electric utilities; renewable portfolio standard program, deficiency payments.
       Patron(s): Stanley
       Summary: Electric utilities; renewable portfolio standard program; deficiency payments. Removes provisions requiring deficiency payments by certain electric utilities if such utilities are unable to meet the compliance obligation of the renewable portfolio standard (RPS) program requirements or if the cost of renewable energy certificates necessary to comply with RPS program requirements exceeds $45 per megawatt hour.
  14. SB912 - Safety and Health Codes Board; THC impairment standard for certain work sites.
       Patron(s): Stanley
       Summary: Safety and Health Codes Board; THC impairment standard for certain work sites. Directs the Safety and Health Codes Board to promulgate regulations to establish a THC impairment standard and testing protocol to be used exclusively on manufacturing and utility work sites and to commence the rulemaking process no later than October 1, 2025.
  15. SB917 - Collective bargaining by public employees; exclusive bargaining representatives.
       Patron(s): Surovell
       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
  16. SB920 - Workers' compensation; presumption as to death or disability from throat cancer.
       Patron(s): Salim
       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 HB 1933.
  17. SB925 - Health insurance; carrier business practices, method of payment for claims.
       Patron(s): Head
       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 
  18. SB954 - Fertility preservation treatments; state plan for medical assistance services.
       Patron(s): Salim
       Summary: State plan for medical assistance services; fertility preservation treatments. 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 coverage of fertility preservation for individuals diagnosed with a form of cancer who need treatment that may cause a substantial risk of sterility or iatrogenic infertility, as defined in the bill, including surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. The bill also requires insurers to provide coverage for standard fertility preservation for individuals who 
  19. SB964 - Collective bargaining; individual home care providers.
       Patron(s): Carroll Foy
       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
  20. SB967 - Minimum wage and overtime pay; warehouse distribution center employees and employers.
       Patron(s): Carroll Foy
       Summary: Minimum wage and overtime pay; warehouse distribution center employees and employers; civil action; civil penalty. Provides that (i) an employer that violates requirements in existing law relating to the minimum wage, payment of wages and salaries, or overtime pay or (ii) a warehouse employer, as defined in the bill, that violates the bill's provisions shall be liable to an impacted employee for certain remedies, damages, and other relief as specified in the bill. The bill requires a warehouse employer to provide each warehouse employee, as defined in the bill, a written description of each pe