VA SB 492
enactedGeologists; added to definition of "professional services," continuing education.
Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · upper
Quick answers
Did VA SB 492 pass?
Yes. VA SB 492 has been enacted into law as of 2026-04-08. Latest recorded action (2026-04-08): Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0463)
What is VA SB 492 about?
Professions and occupations; regulation of geologists. Adds geology to the definition of "professional services" as used in the Virginia Public Procurement Act. The bill also eliminates the option for the Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists to waive the examination requirement for licensure as a professional geologist for an applicant who has at least 12 years of geological work. The bill also requires the Board to promulgate regulations governing continuing education requirements for geologists licensed by the Board that require the completion of eight hours annually in continuing education for any license renewal or reinstatement. This bill is identical to HB 1289.
Who sponsors VA SB 492?
Stella G. Pekarsky is the primary sponsor of VA SB 492.
Description
Professions and occupations; regulation of geologists. Adds geology to the definition of "professional services" as used in the Virginia Public Procurement Act. The bill also eliminates the option for the Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists to waive the examination requirement for licensure as a professional geologist for an applicant who has at least 12 years of geological work. The bill also requires the Board to promulgate regulations governing continuing education requirements for geologists licensed by the Board that require the completion of eight hours annually in continuing education for any license renewal or reinstatement. This bill is identical to HB 1289.
- Introduced
- 2026-01-13
- Latest action
- 2026-04-08 — Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0463)
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- Stella G. Pekarskyprimary
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
2026-01-13
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104900D
filing,introduction
2026-01-13
Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
referral-committee
2026-01-21
Reported from General Laws and Technology (15-Y 0-N)
committee-passage
2026-01-23
Rules suspended
2026-01-23
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-01-23
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
2026-01-23
Passed by for the day
2026-01-26
Read second time
reading-2
2026-01-26
Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-01-26
Engrossed by Senate
2026-01-27
Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
passage,reading-3
2026-02-02
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB492)
2026-02-03
Placed on Calendar
2026-02-03
Read first time
reading-1
2026-02-03
Referred to Committee on General Laws
referral-committee
2026-02-19
Reported from General Laws (21-Y 0-N)
committee-passage
2026-02-23
Read second time
reading-2
2026-02-24
Read third time
reading-3
2026-02-24
Passed House (98-Y 0-N 0-A)
passage
2026-02-26
Enrolled
enrolled
2026-02-26
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB492ER)
passage
2026-02-26
Signed by Speaker
passage
2026-02-26
Signed by President
passage
2026-02-27
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB492)
2026-03-10
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
enrolled,executive-receipt
2026-03-10
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
executive-receipt
2026-04-08
Approved by Governor-Chapter 463 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive-signature
2026-04-08
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0463)
Versions
Documents
Votes
Reported from General Laws and Technology
2026-01-21 · pass · 15-0
Member-level votes (15)
- Adam P. Ebbin: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- Bryce E. Reeves: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Christopher T. Head: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: yes
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Timmy French: yes
- Christie New Craig: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
Constitutional reading dispensed R
2026-01-23 · pass · 39-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: yes
- Christie New Craig: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Bill DeSteph: yes
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
- Tara A. Durant: yes
- Adam P. Ebbin: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Timmy French: yes
- T. Travis Hackworth: yes
- Christopher T. Head: yes
- Michael J. Jones: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: yes
- Mark D. Obenshain: not voting
- Mark J. Peake: yes
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: yes
- Bryce E. Reeves: yes
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
- Richard H. Stuart: yes
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: yes
- David R. Suetterlein: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
Passage R
2026-01-27 · pass · 39-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: yes
- Christie New Craig: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Bill DeSteph: yes
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
- Tara A. Durant: yes
- Adam P. Ebbin: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Timmy French: yes
- T. Travis Hackworth: not voting
- Christopher T. Head: yes
- Michael J. Jones: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: yes
- Mark D. Obenshain: yes
- Mark J. Peake: yes
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: yes
- Bryce E. Reeves: yes
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
- Richard H. Stuart: yes
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: yes
- David R. Suetterlein: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
Reported from General Laws
2026-02-19 · pass · 21-0
Member-level votes (22)
- Paul E. Krizek: yes
- Holly M. Seibold: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Luke E. Torian: yes
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
- Marcus B. Simon: yes
- Karrie K. Delaney: yes
- Joshua G. Cole: yes
- Adele Y. McClure: yes
- Phil M. Hernandez: yes
- Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
- Katrina Callsen: yes
- Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
- Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
- Lily V. Franklin: yes
- Barry D. Knight: not voting
- James W. Morefield: yes
- Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: yes
- Terry L. Austin: yes
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: yes
- Bill Wiley: yes
- Ellen H. McLaughlin: yes
H VOTE:
2026-02-24 · pass · 98-0
Member-level votes (99)
- Don Scott: yes
- Phillip A. Scott: yes
- Holly M. Seibold: yes
- Briana D. Sewell: yes
- Irene Shin: yes
- Marcus B. Simon: yes
- Shelly A. Simonds: yes
- JJ Singh: yes
- Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
- Anne Ferrell Tata: yes
- Joshua E. Thomas: yes
- Virgil Thornton: yes
- Luke E. Torian: yes
- Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
- H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: yes
- Wendell S. Walker: yes
- Jeion A. Ward: yes
- R. Lee Ware: yes
- Vivian E. Watts: yes
- Michael J. Webert: yes
- Madison Whittle: yes
- Bill Wiley: yes
- Rodney T. Willett: yes
- Wren M. Williams: yes
- Tony O. Wilt: yes
- Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: yes
- Scott A. Wyatt: yes
- Eric R. Zehr: yes
- Jessica L. Anderson: yes
- Bonita G. Anthony: yes
- Alex Q. Askew: yes
- Terry L. Austin: yes
- Jason S. Ballard: yes
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: yes
- Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
- Katrina Callsen: yes
- Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
- Mike A. Cherry: yes
- Nadarius E. Clark: yes
- Laura Jane Cohen: yes
- Joshua G. Cole: yes
- Nicole Cole: yes
- Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: yes
- Mitchell Cornett: yes
- Rae Cousins: yes
- Will Davis: yes
- Karrie K. Delaney: yes
- Lindsey Dougherty: yes
- Mark C. Downey: yes
- Michael B. Feggans: yes
- Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: yes
- Lily V. Franklin: yes
- Margaret A. Franklin: yes
- Debra D. Gardner: yes
- Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: yes
- Jackie H. Glass: yes
- Timothy P. Griffin: yes
- Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
- Karen Hamilton: yes
- C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
- Dan I. Helmer: yes
- Rozia A. Henson, Jr.: yes
- Phil M. Hernandez: yes
- Charniele L. Herring: yes
- M. Keith Hodges: yes
- Patrick A. Hope: yes
- Hillary Pugh Kent: yes
- Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
- Terry G. Kilgore: yes
- Paul E. Krizek: yes
- Amy J. Laufer: yes
- James A. "Jay" Leftwich: yes
- Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
- Alfonso H. Lopez: yes
- Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
- Marty Martinez: yes
- John Chilton McAuliff: yes
- Adele Y. McClure: yes
- Garrett McGuire: yes
- Ellen H. McLaughlin: not voting
- Joseph P. McNamara: yes
- Kirk McPike: yes
- Delores L. McQuinn: yes
- Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
- James W. Morefield: yes
- May Nivar: yes
- Delores Oates: yes
- Israel D. O'Quinn: yes
- Justin Pence: yes
- Eric Phillips: yes
- Kimberly Pope Adams: yes
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
- Sam Rasoul: yes
- Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
- David A. Reid: yes
- Chris S. Runion: yes
- Charlie Schmidt: yes
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z
Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:
Use this data
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Known limitations
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- Committee referrals are not yet captured.
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