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HB636Introduced in the House of Delegates

Prospective employer; prohibited from seeking wage or salary history of prospective employees.

Passed

Introduced by Michelle Maldonado, District 20

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

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Official description

Prohibiting employer seeking wage or salary history of prospective employees; wage or salary range transparency; cause of action. Prohibits a prospective employer from (i) seeking the wage or salary history of a prospective employee; (ii) relying on the wage or salary history of a prospective employee in considering the prospective employee for employment; (iii) relying on the wage or salary history of a prospective employee in determining the wages or salary the prospective employee is to be paid upon hire; (iv) refusing to interview, hire, employ, or promote or otherwise retaliating against a prospective or current employee for not providing wage or salary history or requesting a wage or salary range; (v) failing or refusing to disclose in each public and internal posting for each job, promotion, transfer, or other employment opportunity the wage, salary, or wage or salary range; and (vi) failing to set a wage or salary range in good faith. The bill authorizes the Attorney General to bring a cause of action to enforce its provisions and provides that an employer that violates such provisions is subject to a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for the first violation and up to $5,000 for any subsequent violation. The bill permits an aggrieved prospective employee or employee to bring an action to recover actual damages and any other legal and equitable relief as may be appropriate within one year of when his rights were violated. This bill incorporates HB 1164 and is identical to SB 215.

Where it stands

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1063)

April 22, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

House of Delegates votes

5 recorded votes · each counted separately

Senate votes

4 recorded votes · each counted separately

SenateStage: Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A) · April 22, 2026

21

Yes

18

No

1

Absent or Not Voting

40 senators recorded in this Senate vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.

See how each senator voted

SenatorDistrictVote
Elizabeth Bennett-Parker5Yes
Michael Jones77Yes
Timmy French1No
Mark Obenshain2No
Chris Head3Absent
David Suetterlein4No
Travis Hackworth5No
Todd Pillion6No
William Stanley7No
Mark Peake8No

Bill history

  1. Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102232D

  2. Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce

  3. Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #2

  4. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB636)

  5. House subcommittee offered

  6. Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (4-Y 2-N)

  7. Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (16-Y 6-N)

  8. Incorporates HB1164 (Cole, N.T.)

  9. Committee substitute printed 26106771D-H1

  10. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB636)

  11. Read first time

  12. Read second time

  13. committee substitute agreed to

  14. Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  15. Read third time and passed House (65-Y 33-N 0-A)

  16. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  17. Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor

  18. Senate committee offered

  19. Senate committee offered

  20. Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendment (8-Y 6-N)

  21. Rules suspended

  22. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  23. Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)

  24. Read third time

  25. Commerce and Labor Amendment agreed to

  26. Engrossed by Senate as amended

  27. Passed Senate with amendment (20-Y 19-N 0-A)

  28. Senate amendment agreed to by House (63-Y 34-N 0-A)

  29. Enrolled

  30. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB636ER)

  31. Signed by Speaker

  32. Signed by President

  33. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB636)

  34. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026

  35. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  36. Governor's recommendation received by House

  37. House concurred in Governor's recommendation (66-Y 33-N 0-A)

  38. Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)

  39. Governor's recommendation adopted

  40. Reenrolled

  41. Reenrolled bill text (HB636ER2)

  42. Signed by Speaker

  43. Signed by President

  44. Approved by Governor-Chapter 1063 (effective 7/1/2026)

  45. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1063)

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