Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · Bill
HB 944: Workplace violence; policy required for certain employers, civil penalty, delayed effective date.
Passed one chamber Official data
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed one chamber
- Passed both chambers
- Enacted
Last official action: ·Record last updated:
Plain-language summary
HB 944 is a bill introduced in the Virginia House on January 13, 2026. According to its official title, it concerns: Workplace violence; policy required for certain employers, civil penalty, delayed effective date. Primary sponsor: Nadarius Clark (Democratic). It lists 6 additional sponsors. Most recent recorded action (March 9, 2026): Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N).
Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written
Official summary
Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.
Workplace violence policy required for certain employers; civil penalty. Requires any employer of 100 or more employees to develop, implement, and maintain a workplace violence policy no later than January 1, 2027. The bill includes requirements for such a policy, such as procedures and methods for employee reporting of incidents and post-incident investigations. Employers subject to the bill are required to maintain documentation of workplace violence incidents for not less than five years. An employer that violates the provisions of the bill shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $1,000 per violation. The bill prohibits retaliation from an employer on the basis of reporting a workplace violence incident and provides that any employee who makes a report of workplace violence shall be immune from civil liability. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.
Sponsors
Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 6
| Name | Role | Party | Chamber | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nadarius Clark | Primary sponsor | Democratic | House | 84 |
| Bonita Anthony | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 92 |
| Nicole Cole | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 66 |
| J.R. Henson | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 19 |
| Charlie Schmidt | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Irene Shin | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 8 |
| Rip Sullivan | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 6 |
“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.
Recent official actions
- Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)
- Committee substitute printed 26109448D-S1
- Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 4-N)
- Senate committee offered
- Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
- Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB944)
- Read third time and passed House (62-Y 35-N 0-A)
- Engrossed by House - committee substitute
- committee substitute agreed to
- Read second time
- Read first time
Showing 12 most recent of 20 actions. Full history