HB494 • 2026

Virginia Personnel Act; hiring preference in state government, certain former federal employees.

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 2.2-2903.01, relating to Virginia Personnel Act; hiring preference in state government; certain former federal employees.

Budget Labor

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Guzman
Last action: 2026-04-06
Official status: Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Virginia Personnel Act; Hiring Preference for Certain Former Federal Employees

This law allows state agencies in Virginia to consider hiring former federal employees who were laid off due to budget cuts or efficiency initiatives, as long as they meet the job requirements. The law also requires annual reporting on these hires and expires in 2029.

What This Bill Does

Allows state agencies to give preference when hiring certain former federal employees who lost their jobs because of budget cuts or efficiency programs after January 1, 2025.
Requires the Department of Human Resource Management to report annually on how many job applications came from these former federal workers and how many were hired.
Modifies state employment application systems so applicants can self-identify as eligible for this hiring preference.

Who It Names or Affects

Former federal employees who lost their jobs due to budget cuts or efficiency programs after January 1, 2025.
State agencies in Virginia that hire new employees.

Terms To Know

Department of Government Efficiency: A federal department responsible for implementing initiatives aimed at improving government efficiency and reducing costs.
Reduction in the federal budget: When the amount of money available to spend by the federal government is decreased, leading to job cuts or changes in how funds are allocated.

Limits and Unknowns

The law expires on January 21, 2029.
It does not guarantee employment for former federal employees but allows them to be considered if they meet the job requirements.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB494AH1

2026-02-12 • Member

Delegate Guzman Amendments

Plain English: This amendment modifies specific sections of HB494 to provide hiring preferences for certain former federal employees in Virginia state government.

Removes parts of lines that refer to 'has been' and replaces it with 'was'.
Replaces a comma after the word 'budget' with 'or'.
Adds new text stating that prior federal employment is considered a preferred qualification for working in Virginia's government.

The amendment text does not provide full context, making it hard to understand all implications of these changes.
Some parts of the original bill are removed without clear replacement content, which may affect interpretation.

HB494ASC1

2026-02-25 • Committee

General Laws and Technology Amendment

Plain English: The amendment changes the Virginia Personnel Act to allow state government hiring managers to consider former federal employees for positions without giving them preference.

Changes the language from stating that being a former federal employee 'shall be deemed a preferred qualification' to saying that such individuals 'may be given consideration'.

The amendment does not specify how or in what circumstances hiring managers should consider former federal employees.

HB494AS1

2026-02-26 • Committee

General Laws and Technology Amendment

Plain English: The amendment changes the Virginia Personnel Act to allow state government hiring managers to consider former federal employees for positions without requiring them as a preferred qualification.

Changes the phrase 'shall be deemed a preferred qualification' to 'may be given consideration' when referring to former federal employees in state government hiring.

The amendment does not specify how much weight should be given to former federal employee status during the hiring process.

HB494EDOC

2026-03-02 • Senate

Senate Amendment

Plain English: The amendment changes the language in the bill to allow state government hiring managers to consider former federal employees for positions without requiring them as a preferred qualification.

Changes 'shall be deemed a preferred qualification' to 'may be given consideration'.

The amendment does not specify how or in what circumstances former federal employees may be considered, leaving these details unclear.

Bill History

2026-04-06 Governor
Approved by Governor-Chapter 154 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-06 Governor
Approved by Governor-Chapter 154 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-06 Governor
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0154)
2026-03-14 House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026
2026-03-14 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-12 House
Signed by Speaker
2026-03-11 Senate
Signed by President
2026-03-11 House
Enrolled
2026-03-11 House
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB494ER)
2026-03-11 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB494)
2026-03-04 House
Senate amendment agreed to by House (63-Y 33-N 0-A)
2026-03-02 Senate
Read third time
2026-03-02 Senate
Read third time
2026-03-02 Senate
Engrossed by Senate as amended
2026-03-02 General Laws and Technology
General Laws and Technology Amendment agreed to
2026-03-02 Senate
Passed Senate with amendment (21-Y 19-N 0-A)
2026-02-27 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-02-27 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-02-27 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-27 Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-25 General Laws and Technology
Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendment (9-Y 6-N)
2026-02-25 Senate
Senate committee offered
2026-02-17 Appropriations
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB494)
2026-02-16 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-16 General Laws and Technology
Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
2026-02-13 House
Read third time and passed House (61-Y 35-N 0-A)
2026-02-12 House
Floor Offered
2026-02-12 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB494)
2026-02-12 House
Read second time
2026-02-12 House
committee substitute rejected
2026-02-12 House
committee substitute agreed to
2026-02-12 House
Delegate Guzman Floor amendments agreed to
2026-02-12 House
Engrossed by House - committee substitute as amended
2026-02-11 House
Read first time
2026-02-09 Appropriations
Reported from Appropriations with substitute (15-Y 7-N)
2026-02-09 Appropriations
Committee substitute printed 26107309D-H2
2026-02-06 General Government and Capital Outlay
House subcommittee offered
2026-02-06 General Government and Capital Outlay
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 2-N)
2026-02-05 General Laws
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB494)
2026-02-03 General Government and Capital Outlay
Assigned HAPP sub: General Government and Capital Outlay
2026-02-03 General Laws
Reported from General Laws with substitute and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 6-N)
2026-02-03 General Laws
Committee substitute printed 26105902D-H1
2026-01-29 Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 2-N)
2026-01-29 Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process
House subcommittee offered
2026-01-22 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB494)
2026-01-19 Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process
Assigned HGL sub: Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process
2026-01-12 House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102456D
2026-01-12 General Laws
Referred to Committee on General Laws

Official Summary Text

Virginia Personnel Act; hiring preference in state government; certain former federal employees.
Allows for an applicant's status as a former federal employee to be given consideration when applying for employment with the Commonwealth if such applicant was terminated from a position of employment with the federal government on or after January 1, 2025, due to a reduction in the federal budget or initiatives put in place by the federal Department of Government Efficiency, provided that such person meets all of the knowledge, skill, and ability requirements for the available position. The bill directs the Department of Human Resource Management, on or before January 1 of each year, to submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly that includes the number of job applications submitted by candidates who self-identified as former federal employees, as well as the number of jobs offered to such candidates. The bill has an expiration date of January 21, 2029.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
2.2-2903.01
, relating to Virginia Personnel Act; hiring preference in state government; certain former federal employees.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered
2.2-2903.01
as follows:
§
2.2-2903.01
. Hiring preference for certain former federal employees.
A. In a manner consistent with federal and state law, if any person who was

terminated from a position of employment with the federal government on or after January 1, 2025, due to a reduction in the federal budget

initiatives put in place by the federal Department of Government Efficiency, applies for employment with the Commonwealth, such person's status as a former federal employee and such prior federal employment may be given consideration for employment with the Commonwealth,

provided that such person meets all of the knowledge, skill, and ability requirements for the available position.
B. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to require the selection of any applicant or to create an entitlement to employment.
C. On or before January 1 of each year, the Department of Human Resource Management shall submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly that includes the number of job applications submitted by candidates who self-identified as former federal employees whose status may be considered as provided in subsection A, as well as the number of jobs offered to such candidates.
2. That the provisions of this act shall expire on January 21, 2029.
3. That the Department of Human Resource Management shall modify the state employment application system to permit an applicant for an open position to (i) self-identify as a former federal employee whose former federal employee status may be considered under the provisions of this act, and (ii) indicate if they have documentation to verify such status.