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SB121 • 2026

Minimum wage; farm laborers or farm employees, temporary foreign workers.

An Act to amend and reenact § 40.1-28.9, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, of the Code of Virginia, relating to minimum wage; farm laborers or farm employees.

Agriculture Labor
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Carroll Foy
Last action
2026-04-08
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on enforcement or compliance measures for non-compliant employers.

Minimum Wage for Farm Workers

This act removes the exemption from Virginia's minimum wage requirements for farm laborers and employees, effective January 1, 2027.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes an exception that allowed farm workers to be paid less than the state’s minimum wage.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Farm employers who hire laborers or employees.
  • Farm laborers and employees in Virginia.

Terms To Know

Minimum wage
The lowest hourly rate that employers must pay their workers, as set by law.
Exemption
An exception to a rule or requirement, allowing certain groups of people or businesses not to follow it.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if farm employers do not comply with the new minimum wage requirements.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect small farms that may struggle to pay higher wages.

Amendments

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

SB121AS1

2026-02-03 • Committee

Commerce and Labor Amendment

Plain English: The amendment proposes to make a specific part of the bill go into effect on January 1, 2027.

  • Adds a new provision stating that certain parts of the bill will start being enforced on January 1, 2027.
  • The amendment text does not specify which exact provisions of the bill it refers to, so we do not know exactly what parts will become effective on this date.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 358 (effective 1/1/2027)

  2. 2026-04-08 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0358)

  3. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

  4. 2026-03-10 Governor

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

  5. 2026-03-09 House

    Signed by Speaker

  6. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Signed by President

  7. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Enrolled

  8. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB121ER)

  9. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB121)

  10. 2026-03-03 House

    Read third time

  11. 2026-03-03 House

    Passed House (63-Y 35-N 0-A)

  12. 2026-03-02 House

    Read second time

  13. 2026-02-26 Labor and Commerce

    Reported from Labor and Commerce (15-Y 6-N)

  14. 2026-02-24 House

    Placed on Calendar

  15. 2026-02-24 House

    Read first time

  16. 2026-02-24 Labor and Commerce

    Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce

  17. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB121)

  18. 2026-02-17 Senate

    Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  19. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Floor substitute printed 26108041D-S1 (Perry)

  20. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Floor Offered

  21. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Reading of substitute waived (Voice Vote)

  22. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Read second time

  23. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote)

  24. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - floor substitute (Voice Vote)

  25. 2026-02-16 Commerce and Labor

    Commerce and Labor Amendment rejected

  26. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote)

  27. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Senator Perry Substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)

  28. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)

  29. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Read second time

  30. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  31. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Rules suspended

  32. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  33. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  34. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  35. 2026-02-11 Finance and Appropriations

    Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)

  36. 2026-02-02 Commerce and Labor

    Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendment and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 6-N 1-A)

  37. 2026-01-22 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB121)

  38. 2026-01-05 Senate

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100563D

  39. 2026-01-05 Commerce and Labor

    Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor

Official Summary Text

Minimum wage; farm laborers or farm employees.
Eliminates the exemption from Virginia's minimum wage requirements for persons employed as farm laborers or farm employees. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027, and is identical to HB 20.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
An Act to amend and reenact §
40.1-28.9
, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, of the Code of Virginia, relating to minimum wage; farm laborers or farm employees.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §
40.1-28.9
, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§
40.1-28.9
. (Effective until July 1, 2030) Definitions; determining wage of tipped employee.
A. As used in this article:
"Adjusted state hourly minimum wage" means the amount established by the Commissioner pursuant to subsection F of §
40.1-28.10
.
"Domestic service" means services related to the care of an individual in a private home or the maintenance of a private home or its premises, on a permanent or temporary basis, including services performed by individuals such as companions, cooks, waiters, butlers, maids, valets, and chauffeurs.
"Employee" includes any individual employed by an employer. "Employee" includes a home care provider. "Employee" does not include the following:
1.
Any person employed as a farm laborer or farm employee;
2.
Any person engaged in the activities of an educational, charitable, religious, or nonprofit organization where the relationship of employer-employee does not, in fact, exist or where the services rendered to such organization are on a voluntary basis;
3.
2.
Caddies on golf courses;
4.
3.
Traveling salesmen or outside salesmen working on a commission basis; taxicab drivers and operators;
5.
4.
Any person under the age of 18 in the employ of his parent or legal guardian;
6.
5.
Any person confined in any penal or corrective institution of the Commonwealth or any of its political subdivisions or admitted to a state hospital or training center operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services;
7.
6.
Any person employed by a summer camp for boys, girls, or both boys and girls;
8.
7.
Any person under the age of 16, regardless of by whom employed;
9.
8.
Any individual with disabilities employed by an employer that was authorized, prior to July 1, 2023, to employ individuals with disabilities at a subminimum wage pursuant to a special certificate issued under 29 U.S.C. § 214(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, provided that such individual was employed by and paid a subminimum wage by such employer pursuant to 29 U.S.C. § 214(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, prior to July 1, 2023;
10.
9.
Students participating in a bona fide educational program;
11.
10.
Any person who is less than 18 years of age and who is currently enrolled on a full-time basis in any secondary school, institution of higher education, or trade school, provided that the person is not employed more than 20 hours per week;
12.
11.
Any person of any age who is currently enrolled on a full-time basis in any secondary school, institution of higher education, or trade school and is in a work-study program or its equivalent at the institution at which he is enrolled as a student;
13.
12.
Any person who works as a babysitter for fewer than 10 hours per week;
14.
13.
Any person participating as an au pair in the U.S. Department of State's Exchange Visitor Program governed by 22 C.F.R. § 62.31;
15.
14.
Any individual employed as a temporary foreign worker as governed by 20 C.F.R. Part 655; and
16.
15.
Any person who is exempt from the federal minimum wage pursuant to 29 U.S.C. § 213(a)(3).
"Employer" includes any individual, partnership, association, corporation, or business trust or any person or group of persons acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an employer in relation to an employee. "Employer" includes the Commonwealth, any of its agencies, institutions, or political subdivisions, and any public body.
"Federal minimum wage" means the minimum wage or, if applicable, the federal training wage prescribed by the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.
"Home care provider" means an individual who provides (i) home health services, including services provided by or under the direct supervision of any health care professional under a medical plan of care in a patient's residence on a visit or hourly basis to patients who have or are at risk of injury, illness, or a disabling condition and require short-term or long-term interventions, or (ii) personal care services, including assistance in personal care to include activities of a daily living provided in an individual's residence on a visit or hourly basis to individuals who have or are at risk of an illness, injury, or disabling condition.
"Tipped employee" means an employee who in the course of employment customarily and regularly receives tips totaling more than $30 each month from persons other than the employee's employer.
"Wages" means legal tender of the United States or checks or drafts on banks negotiable into cash on demand or upon acceptance at full value. "Wages" includes the reasonable cost to the employer of furnishing meals and lodging to an employee if such board or lodging is customarily furnished by the employer and used by the employee.
B. In determining the wage of a tipped employee, the amount paid such employee by his employer shall be deemed to be increased on account of tips by an amount determined by the employer, except in the case of an employee who establishes by clear and convincing evidence that the actual amount of tips received by him was less than the amount determined by the employer. In such case, the amount paid such employee by his employer shall be deemed to have been increased by such lesser amount. An employer shall not classify an individual as a tipped employee if the individual is prohibited by applicable federal or state law or regulation from soliciting tips.
§
40.1-28.9
. (Effective July 1, 2030) Definitions; determining wage of tipped employee.
A. As used in this article:
"Adjusted state hourly minimum wage" means the amount established by the Commissioner pursuant to subsection F of §
40.1-28.10
.
"Domestic service" means services related to the care of an individual in a private home or the maintenance of a private home or its premises, on a permanent or temporary basis, including services performed by individuals such as companions, cooks, waiters, butlers, maids, valets, and chauffeurs.
"Employee" includes any individual employed by an employer. "Employee" includes a home care provider. "Employee" does not include the following:
1.
Any person employed as a farm laborer or farm employee
;
2.
Any person engaged in the activities of an educational, charitable, religious, or nonprofit organization where the relationship of employer-employee does not, in fact, exist or where the services rendered to such organization are on a voluntary basis;
3.
2.
Caddies on golf courses;
4.
3.
Traveling salesmen or outside salesmen working on a commission basis; taxicab drivers and operators;
5.
4.
Any person under the age of 18 in the employ of his parent or legal guardian;
6.
5.
Any person confined in any penal or corrective institution of the Commonwealth or any of its political subdivisions or admitted to a state hospital or training center operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services;
7.
6.
Any person employed by a summer camp for boys, girls, or both boys and girls;
8.
7.
Any person under the age of 16, regardless of by whom employed;
9.
8.
Students participating in a bona fide educational program;
10.
9.
Any person who is less than 18 years of age and who is currently enrolled on a full-time basis in any secondary school, institution of higher education, or trade school, provided that the person is not employed more than 20 hours per week;
11.
10.
Any person of any age who is currently enrolled on a full-time basis in any secondary school, institution of higher education, or trade school and is in a work-study program or its equivalent at the institution at which he is enrolled as a student;
12.
11.
Any person who works as a babysitter for fewer than 10 hours per week;
13.
12.
Any person participating as an au pair in the U.S. Department of State's Exchange Visitor Program governed by 22 C.F.R. § 62.31;
14.
13.
Any individual employed as a temporary foreign worker as governed by 20 C.F.R. Part 655; and
15.
14.
Any person who is exempt from the federal minimum wage pursuant to 29 U.S.C. § 213(a)(3).
"Employer" includes any individual, partnership, association, corporation, or business trust or any person or group of persons acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an employer in relation to an employee. "Employer" includes the Commonwealth, any of its agencies, institutions, or political subdivisions, and any public body.
"Federal minimum wage" means the minimum wage or, if applicable, the federal training wage prescribed by the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.
"Home care provider" means an individual who provides (i) home health services, including services provided by or under the direct supervision of any health care professional under a medical plan of care in a patient's residence on a visit or hourly basis to patients who have or are at risk of injury, illness, or a disabling condition and require short-term or long-term interventions, or (ii) personal care services, including assistance in personal care to include activities of a daily living provided in an individual's residence on a visit or hourly basis to individuals who have or are at risk of an illness, injury, or disabling condition.
"Tipped employee" means an employee who in the course of employment customarily and regularly receives tips totaling more than $30 each month from persons other than the employee's employer.
"Wages" means legal tender of the United States or checks or drafts on banks negotiable into cash on demand or upon acceptance at full value. "Wages" includes the reasonable cost to the employer of furnishing meals and lodging to an employee if such board or lodging is customarily furnished by the employer and used by the employee.
B. In determining the wage of a tipped employee, the amount paid such employee by his employer shall be deemed to be increased on account of tips by an amount determined by the employer, except in the case of an employee who establishes by clear and convincing evidence that the actual amount of tips received by him was less than the amount determined by the employer. In such case, the amount paid such employee by his employer shall be deemed to have been increased by such lesser amount. An employer shall not classify an individual as a tipped employee if the individual is prohibited by applicable federal or state law or regulation from soliciting tips.
2. That the provisions of this act shall become effective on January 1, 2027.