HB 547 VA

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To Executive

Private companies providing public transportation services; employee protections; report. Requires the governing body 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 through such company's own employees; and (iii) if such county or city subsequently elects to provide its own system of public transportation, adopt an ordinance or resolution providing for collective bargaining and ensure all employees of such private company are offered employment with such subsequent public transportation system without loss of compensation or benefits. The bill clarifies that the bill only applies to actions occurring on or after the effective date and excludes any action taken, contract signed, liability incurred, or right accrued prior to July 1, 2026, from the requirements. Finally, the bill directs the Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation to convene a work group to develop recommendations on how to implement the provisions of the bill and requires the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Labor and Commerce and Senate Committee on Local Government by November 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 731.

• Dan I. Helmer Democratic · primary

1. Jan 13, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100320D · lower
2. Jan 13, 2026 Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce · lower
3. Jan 19, 2026 Fiscal Impact statement From CLG (1/19/2026 4:22 pm) · lower
4. Jan 20, 2026 Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #2 · lower
5. Jan 29, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 2-N) · lower
6. Feb 3, 2026 Reported from Labor and Commerce (15-Y 7-N) · lower
7. Feb 5, 2026 Read first time · lower
8. Feb 6, 2026 Read second time and engrossed · lower
9. Feb 9, 2026 Read third time and passed House (63-Y 34-N 0-A) · lower
10. Feb 10, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) · upper
11. Feb 10, 2026 Referred to Committee on Local Government · upper
12. Feb 23, 2026 Reported from Local Government with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 7-N) · upper
13. Feb 23, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26108415D-S1 · upper
14. Mar 3, 2026 Reported from Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N) · upper
15. Mar 3, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
16. Mar 3, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
17. Mar 3, 2026 Passed by for the day (Voice Vote) · upper
18. Mar 4, 2026 Read third time · upper
19. Mar 4, 2026 Local Government Substitute agreed to · upper
20. Mar 4, 2026 Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute · upper
21. Mar 4, 2026 Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A) · upper
22. Mar 6, 2026 Senate substitute agreed to by House (62-Y 35-N 0-A) · lower
23. Mar 13, 2026 Enrolled · lower
24. Mar 13, 2026 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB547ER) · lower
25. Mar 13, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
26. Mar 13, 2026 Signed by President · upper
27. Mar 14, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 · lower
28. Mar 14, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
29. Apr 13, 2026 Governor's recommendation received by House · executive

The published texts of this bill as it moves through the legislature. Each links to the official document on the state legislature site. Data from OpenStates.

• Governor's Recommendation · HTML
• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · HTML
• Local Government Substitute · PDF
• Local Government Substitute · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML