From Gov. Spanberger’s office; the deadline for action on 2026 legislation coming out of the Virginia General Assembly was 11:59 pm last night.
Governor Spanberger Proposes Amendments to Protect Workers & Support Employers
Governor Spanberger: “My Amendments Are About Making Sure That When These Laws Take Effect, They Work”
RICHMOND, VA — Governor Abigail Spanberger today submitted amendments to valuable worker protection legislation — including collective bargaining for public employees, paid sick leave, and paid family and medical leave.
“The General Assembly has sent me several bills that will make Virginia a better place to work and raise a family — including legislation allowing collective bargaining by public employees, paid sick leave, and paid family and medical leave,” said Governor Abigail Spanberger. “I want to make clear that I support the purpose of every one of these bills. I made commitments to Virginia’s workers to sign legislation into law to make our Commonwealth stronger, and I intend to keep them.”
Governor Spanberger continued, “These are policies that matter deeply to me and to working Virginians, and my amendments are about making sure that when these laws take effect, they work — for workers, for businesses, and for the localities and the Commonwealth that will implement them. These programs are tools Virginia’s employers can use to attract and retain talent.”
The Governor has proposed changes to the pieces of legislation to make it easier for public and private employers to understand and follow the new laws. The changes acknowledge differences in how industries operate, and that flexible approaches are more likely to succeed. For public employers, the changes would help ensure that implementation is strong at the state level, and would give cities and counties the flexibility and runway necessary to follow suit.
Governor Spanberger added, “I know some people think Virginia has to choose between being pro-worker and pro-business, but I reject that — because our economic success has always come from supporting both. As a Commonwealth, this is not an either-or proposition, and these bills reflect that. In the end, we need to get these new laws right from the beginning, which is what my amendments seek to enable.”
House Bill 5 and Senate Bill 199: Paid Sick Leave
This legislation guarantees workers up to five days of paid leave when they are sick or caring for a family member — protecting not just individual workers, but their colleagues and workplaces as well.
The Governor’s amendments clarify definitions and implementation details to make compliance straightforward for employers across industries.
House Bill 1207 and Senate Bill 2: Paid Family and Medical Leave
This legislation creates a portable insurance program — funded by both workers and employers, and similar to unemployment insurance — that allows Virginians to take up to twelve weeks of paid leave to address serious health needs for themselves or a family member, including parental leave. While many employers offer a similar benefit to workers, this portable program would significantly expand access to Virginia’s workers and smaller employers who otherwise would not be able to offer such a benefit.
The Governor’s amendments define how the program will be developed and implemented, bring the program into closer alignment with federal policy, clarify definitions and eligibility, and give employers clarity in how the program works.
House Bill 1263 and Senate Bill 378: Collective Bargaining
These bills extend to many public sector workers the same collective bargaining rights that private sector workers have long held under Virginia law — a significant step forward for working Virginians. This legislation does not mandate collective bargaining, require anyone to join a union, or allow public sector workers to strike. The bill does give workers the right to start and join a union, and workers can pursue collective bargaining only if a majority of their coworkers vote to do so. The bill establishes a Public Employee Relations Board to serve as a resource for state and local employees who choose to pursue collective bargaining.
The Governor’s amendments provide localities with additional flexibility to work with the Public Employee Relations Board to set up bargaining in a way that makes sense for their communities. Her amendments also clarify that any agreement with budget implications remains subject to approval by the local government boards with budgetary responsibilities.
You can find a comprehensive list of Governor Spanberger’s amendments here.
