Nonpayment of wages; defense of contractor.
Summary
Nonpayment of wages; defense of contractor. Provides that a general contractor or subcontractor, regardless of tier, may submit as evidence in defending against a claim for nonpayment a written certification, under oath, from any lower-tier subcontractor stating that (i) the subcontractor and each of his sub-subcontractors has paid all employees all wages due for the period during which the wages are claimed for the work performed on the project and (ii) to the subcontractor's knowledge, all sub-subcontractors below the subcontractor, regardless of tier, have similarly paid their employees all such wages. This bill is identical to HB 889.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2022
Committee Review
Feb 2022
Senate Passage
Apr 2022
House of Delegates Passage
Apr 2022
Signed into Law
Apr 2022
Introduced Jan 12, 2022
Signed Apr 27, 2022
Floor votes · Senate Feb 10, 2022 · House of Delegates Feb 25, 2022
How they voted
30–3
Passed
Total votes 33
Feb 10, 2022
D
Democratic17
88% Yea
R
Republican16
93% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
44
Key actions
12
Committee
12
Apr 27, 2022
Executive · Passed
Governor's recommendation adopted
executive
Apr 27, 2022
Lower · Passed
House concurred in Governor's recommendation (72-Y 27-N)
lower
Apr 27, 2022
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (40-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 25, 2022
Lower · Passed
Passed House (65-Y 34-N)
lower
Feb 22, 2022
Lower · Passed
Reported from Commerce and Energy with substitute (14-Y 8-N)
lower
Feb 22, 2022
Lower · Passed
House committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
lower
Feb 21, 2022
Committee
Referred to Committee on Commerce and Energy
lower
Feb 10, 2022
Upper · Passed
Read third time and passed Senate (37-Y 3-N)
upper
Feb 9, 2022
Upper · Passed
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB538S1
upper
Feb 9, 2022
Upper · Passed
Committee substitute agreed to 22105298D-S1
upper
Feb 7, 2022
Upper · Passed
Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (14-Y 1-N)
upper
Feb 7, 2022
Upper · Passed
Senate committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
upper
Feb 3, 2022
Upper · Passed
Senate subcommittee amendments and substitutes offered
upper
Jan 28, 2022
Committee
Assigned C&L sub: Labor and Employment
upper
Jan 26, 2022
Committee
Rereferred to Commerce and Labor
upper
Jan 26, 2022
Committee
Rereferred from Judiciary (11-Y 4-N)
upper
Jan 12, 2022
Committee
Referred to Committee on the Judiciary
upper
Jan 12, 2022
Introduced
Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/12/22 22102773D
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Mark Peake
RRepublican
Ask Maddy
·
AI policy assistant
Ask Maddy about SB 538
Scope: VA
Hi! I can help you understand SB 538. What would you like to know?
Try one of these
i
Maddy answers using official bill text and legislative records. Always verify before sharing.
Sources cited inline