republic-os/legislation/us/states/va/2024/sb-184.md

---
type: "Bill"
title: "Geology; definition of geological mapping, expands definition of practice of geology."
description: "Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; practice of geology; definitions. Expands the definition of the practice of geology to include the performance of any professional service or work wherein the principles and methods of geology are applied, including (i) investigating, evaluating, and consulting; (ii) geological mapping; (iii) describing the natural processes that act upon the earth's materials; (iv) predicting the probable occurrence of natural processes; and (v) inspecting, planning, and performing and supervising geological work in order to enhance and protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public and the environment. The bill also defines \"geological mapping.\" The bill contains technical amendments. This bill is identical to HB 287."
jurisdiction: "us/states/va"
legislature: "Virginia General Assembly"
session: "2024"
identifier: "SB 184"
citation: "Virginia SB 184 (2024)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Aaron R. Rouse"]
version_count: 4
action_count: 31
vote_count: 5
first_action: "2024-01-08"
last_action: "2024-03-08"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/36593c37-7f2e-431f-a028-bf379d2cc14d"
source_url: "https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?241+sum+SB184"
source_hash: "bf9de180510b12afa1b88e99c7bfa962e0cbb2fb8799eccfc0ec2651570873c0"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-va"]
---

# Virginia SB 184 (2024) — Geology; definition of geological mapping, expands definition of practice of geology.

Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; practice of geology; definitions. Expands the definition of the practice of geology to include the performance of any professional service or work wherein the principles and methods of geology are applied, including (i) investigating, evaluating, and consulting; (ii) geological mapping; (iii) describing the natural processes that act upon the earth's materials; (iv) predicting the probable occurrence of natural processes; and (v) inspecting, planning, and performing and supervising geological work in order to enhance and protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public and the environment. The bill also defines "geological mapping." The bill contains technical amendments. This bill is identical to HB 287.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **CHAP0004** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?241+ful+CHAP0004)
2. **Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/24 24104718D** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?241+ful+SB184)
3. **Printed as engrossed 24104718D-E** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?241+ful+SB184E)
4. **SB184ER** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?241+ful+SB184ER)

## Votes

- Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendment (15-Y 0-N) — **15–0** (pass) · upper
- VOTE: Block Vote Passage (98-Y 0-N) — **97–0** (pass) · lower
- Reported from General Laws (22-Y 0-N) — **22–0** (pass) · lower
- Constitutional reading dispensed (37-Y 0-N) — **37–0** (pass) · upper
- Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 0-N) — **39–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Aaron R. Rouse — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2024-01-08** Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/24 24104718D `filing, introduction`
- **2024-01-08** Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology `referral-committee`
- **2024-01-16** Impact statement from DPB (SB184)
- **2024-01-17** Senate committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
- **2024-01-17** Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendment (15-Y 0-N) `committee-passage`
- **2024-01-19** Constitutional reading dispensed (37-Y 0-N)
- **2024-01-22** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2024-01-22** Committee amendment rejected `amendment-failure`
- **2024-01-22** Reading of amendment waived
- **2024-01-22** Amendment by Senator Rouse agreed to `amendment-passage`
- **2024-01-22** Engrossed by Senate as amended SB184E
- **2024-01-22** Printed as engrossed 24104718D-E
- **2024-01-23** Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 0-N) `passage, reading-3`
- **2024-01-31** Impact statement from DPB (SB184E)
- **2024-02-13** Placed on Calendar
- **2024-02-13** Read first time `reading-1`
- **2024-02-13** Referred to Committee on General Laws `referral-committee`
- **2024-02-15** Reported from General Laws (22-Y 0-N) `committee-passage`
- **2024-02-19** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2024-02-20** Read third time `reading-3`
- **2024-02-20** Passed House BLOCK VOTE (98-Y 0-N) `passage`
- **2024-02-20** VOTE: Block Vote Passage (98-Y 0-N) `passage`
- **2024-02-26** Enrolled `enrolled`
- **2024-02-26** Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB184ER) `passage`
- **2024-02-26** Impact statement from DPB (SB184ER)
- **2024-02-26** Signed by Speaker `passage`
- **2024-02-29** Signed by President `passage`
- **2024-03-01** Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 1, 2024 `enrolled`
- **2024-03-01** Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 8, 2024 `executive-receipt`
- **2024-03-08** Approved by Governor-Chapter 4 (effective 7/1/24) `executive-signature`
- **2024-03-08** Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0004)

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/36593c37-7f2e-431f-a028-bf379d2cc14d`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Virginia legislature records).