Workforce development programs; apprenticeship program.
Summary
Department of Workforce Development and Advancement; workforce development programs; apprenticeship program. Recognizes the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement as the federally and state designated agency responsible for workforce development in the Commonwealth. The bill additionally makes technical changes to reflect the previous transfer of administration of apprenticeship programs from the Department of Labor and Industry to the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement. The bill also amends the seventh enactments of Chapters 624 and 625 of the Acts of Assembly of 2023 to exempt the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement's initial adoption and any additional regulations from the provisions of the Administrative Process Act provided that, prior to the final adoption of such regulations, the Department publishes in the Virginia Register of Regulations and posts on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall an action that provides (i) a 30-day comment period; (ii) a summary of the proposed regulations, the text of the proposed regulations, and the name, address, email address, and telephone number of the agency contact person responsible for receiving public comments; and (iii) the statutory authority to promulgate the regulations.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 13, 2026
Signed Apr 13, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons
What changed between versions
Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process Subcommittee Substitute
→
Finance and Appropriations Substitute
·
3 edits
MINOR
This bill amends the title of the Senate substitute and updates the legislative history to reflect the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations. It removes a specific reference to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia's 'Innovative Internship Program' from a list of agencies, likely to streamline the scope of exemptions. Additionally, it corrects a phrasing error in the apprenticeship exemption clause to ensure the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement is clearly identified as the approving authority.
Scope change
The bill's scope is slightly narrowed by removing the 'Innovative Internship Program' from the list of agencies whose certifications exempt individuals from certain tradesman license examination requirements.
REQUIREMENT
Removed the 'Innovative Internship Program and certifications' from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia's entry in the list of exempting agencies.
TECHNICAL
Corrected the phrasing in the apprenticeship exemption to explicitly state that the program must be approved by the Commissioner of Labor and Industry within the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.
Updated the document header to reflect the Senate Substitute status and the specific date the Senate Committee proposed the amendment.
Floor votes · Senate Mar 3, 2026 · House of Delegates Feb 9, 2026
How they voted
39–0
Passed
Total votes 39
Mar 3, 2026
D
Democratic20
100% Yea
R
Republican19
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
36
Key actions
11
Committee
7
Apr 13, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 662 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive
Mar 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB693ER)
lower
Mar 4, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate with substitute (35-Y 5-N 0-A)
upper
Mar 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
upper
Mar 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (14-Y 0-N 1-A)
upper
Feb 25, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from General Laws and Technology and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-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 (70-Y 28-N 0-A)
lower
Feb 3, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from General Laws with substitute (18-Y 3-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 13, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on General Laws
lower
0 primary · 2 co-sponsors
Sponsors
No sponsor information available.
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