Protection of employees; covenants not to compete, discharged employees.
Summary
Protection of employees; covenants not to compete; discharged employees. Provides that no covenant not to compete, as such term is defined in existing law, between an employer and an employee is enforceable if such employer discharges such employee from employment without providing severance benefits or other monetary payment to such employee that is disclosed upon execution of the covenant not to compete, unless the employee is discharged for cause. This bill incorporates SB 569.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 8, 2026
Signed Apr 13, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons
What changed between versions
Commerce and Labor Substitute
→
Enrolled
·
2 edits
·
Mar 10, 2026
MINOR
The bill has been finalized and approved for the Virginia Acts of Assembly, transitioning from a Senate substitute version to an enrolled version. This change reflects the legislative process completion but does not alter the substantive policy, scope, or legal text of the bill itself.
Scope change
The scope of the bill remains unchanged; the text of the statute is identical to the Senate substitute version.
TECHNICAL
Removed internal legislative metadata such as 'SENATE SUBSTITUTE', bill number '26107018D', and the specific committee report date.
Added official enrolled status markers including 'ENROLLED', 'VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- CHAPTER', and 'Approved' to signify the bill has passed all stages and is ready for execution.
Floor votes · Senate Feb 4, 2026 · House of Delegates Mar 4, 2026
How they voted
39–0
Passed
Total votes 39
Feb 4, 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
12
Committee
9
Apr 13, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 883 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive
Mar 10, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 10, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 10, 2026
Upper · Passed
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB170ER)
upper
Mar 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed House (87-Y 12-N 0-A)
lower
Feb 27, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from Appropriations (18-Y 4-N)
lower
Feb 25, 2026
Committee
Assigned HAPP sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources
lower
Feb 24, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from Labor and Commerce and referred to Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 19, 2026
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 17, 2026
Committee
Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #2
lower
Feb 12, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce
lower
Feb 6, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
upper
Feb 4, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
upper
Feb 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (13-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate committee offered
upper
Jan 8, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Jeremy McPike
DDemocratic
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