HB 1254 Virginia House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Professional & Occupational Regulation, Department of; amendments for purposes of regulatory boards.

Summary
Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. Makes several amendments for the purposes of regulatory boards within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation to include (i) removing the exemption for a person engaged in the practice of engineering, architecture, or land surveying as a full-time, salaried employee of the Commonwealth on March 8, 1992, from certain licensure requirements provided the employee does not furnish advisory service for compensation to the public in connection with engineering, architecture, or land surveying; (ii) providing that any state agency or political subdivision that is unable to employ a qualified licensed engineer, architect, or land surveyor to fill a responsible charge position, after a reasonable and unsuccessful search, may fill the position with an unlicensed person upon the determination by the chief administrative officer of the agency or political subdivision that the person, by virtue of education, experience, and expertise, can perform the work required of the position; (iii) directing the Board for Hearing Aid Specialists and Opticians to promulgate regulations for the issuance of training permits and work permits; and (iv) repealing provisions of the Code allowing for the waiver of examinations for wax technicians and estheticians. The bill contains technical amendments.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Feb 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 14, 2026 Signed Apr 8, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process Subcommittee Substitute Chaptered · 8 edits
MODERATE
This bill updates Virginia's professional licensing laws for architects, engineers, land surveyors, and related fields. It modernizes exemptions for small-scale construction projects, clarifies rules for remote sensing technology, and adjusts definitions and permit requirements for hearing aid specialists and other professions.
Scope change
The bill expands exemptions for unlicensed design work on specific small structures and updates the scope of practice for land surveyors using remote sensing technology.
ELIGIBILITY

Updated exemptions for architects and engineers to include specific building types like churches and industrial structures under certain size limits, while maintaining requirements for unique designs and high-hazard buildings.

Clarified that unlicensed land surveyors using remote sensing technology cannot determine property lines or boundaries for construction or flood plain determination.

DEFINITION

Adjusted the definition of 'esthetics' to specify that it is not a healing art and does not include practices constituting the practice of medicine.

REQUIREMENT

Revised the definition of 'Master esthetician' to clarify that the practice of lymphatic drainage, chemical exfoliation, and microdermabrasion is excluded unless specific additional requirements are met.

Updated the definition of 'Optician' to ensure consistency with current licensing exemptions.

Modified the exemption for opticians providing free health care to underserved areas to include specific notification and filing requirements with the Board.

Extended the expiration date for existing professional geologist certifications from July 1, 2025, to a later date not specified in the excerpt, or removed the expiration if the text implies permanent validity.

TECHNICAL

Corrected formatting and spacing in section headers and citations throughout the document.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 20, 2026 · House of Delegates Feb 9, 2026

How they voted

390
Passed
Total votes 39
Feb 20, 2026
D Democratic20
20 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican19
19 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
30
Key actions
10
Committee
6
Apr 8, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 460 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive
Feb 25, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Feb 25, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Feb 25, 2026
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1254ER)
lower
Feb 23, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate (38-Y 0-N 0-A)
upper
Feb 20, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
upper
Feb 18, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from General Laws and Technology (14-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 10, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
upper
Feb 9, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House (98-Y 0-N 0-A)
lower
Feb 3, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from General Laws with substitute (21-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 29, 2026
Lower · Passed
House subcommittee offered
lower
Jan 26, 2026
Committee
Assigned HGL sub: Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process
lower
Jan 14, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on General Laws
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Jackie Glass
Jackie Glass
DDemocratic
VA
93