Virginia legislature passes bill extending noncompete ban to health care professionals

The legislation introduced by Del. Charniele L. Herring seeks to expand Virginia’s restrictions on noncompete agreements to include health care professionals, adding clarity to the protections for these workers, as noted by the Virginia State House.

The bill cleared both legislative chambers and was enrolled March 30, 2026, passing the House by a 93-5 margin and the Senate with a 40-0 vote.

Filed as HB627 on Jan. 14, 2026, during the 2026 regular session, the state legislature characterized the bill as: “Covenants not to compete; includes health care professionals, civil penalty.”

Below is an overview based on the actual bill text, with added explanation for clarity.

This legislation broadens Virginia’s noncompete agreement ban to cover health care professionals beyond the existing inclusion of low-wage workers and clarifies that employees cannot be prevented by noncompetes from working with former customers unless they actively solicit them. It upholds current definitions for low-wage employees and excludes those whose primary compensation is through commissions, bonuses, or incentives. Workers affected by noncompliant noncompetes are permitted to seek cancellation and pursue damages, attorney fees, and costs, and employers are prohibited from retaliation. The measure sets a $10,000 civil penalty per prohibited noncompete and maintains requirements for employers to post the law and increases penalties for noncompliance with posting rules.

The House vote saw support from 63 Democrats and 30 Republicans, while five Republicans voted against the measure.

The Senate vote included 21 Democrats and 19 Republicans backing the bill.

Chief sponsorship came from Del. Charniele L. Herring (Democrat-4th District), Del. Kathy K.L. Tran (Democrat-18th District), Del. Shelly A. Simonds (Democrat-70th District), and one additional sponsor.

Herring is a George Mason University alumna, earning a BA in 1993, and received her JD from Catholic University Columbus School of Law in 1997.

A member of the Democratic party, Herring was elected to represent Virginia’s 4th House district in 2024, succeeding William Wampler III.

The legislative process in Virginia starts with a bill’s introduction in either chamber, where it is assigned to committee for discussion and possible revision. Upon committee approval, the legislation advances to full chamber debate and voting. A bill passed by both houses proceeds to the governor, who may sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature. The Virginia General Assembly holds its regular session annually beginning the second Monday of January and considers hundreds of proposed bills, with only a fraction being enacted.

Details in this report are based on records from the Virginia State House. Source data is available here.