republic-os/legislation/us/states/va/2026/hb-1289.md

---
type: "Bill"
title: "Geologists; added to definition of \"professional services,\" continuing education."
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 SB 492."
jurisdiction: "us/states/va"
legislature: "Virginia General Assembly"
session: "2026"
identifier: "HB 1289"
citation: "Virginia HB 1289 (2026)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Bill Wiley"]
version_count: 5
action_count: 31
vote_count: 6
first_action: "2026-01-14"
last_action: "2026-04-08"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/b0fd09df-383d-4bee-aa0e-d599b8e9a253"
source_url: "https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB1289"
source_hash: "284684b69f2a8722b7f96e9394e2203b09a93a7b2e105c546dd5ea12f3bee3a4"
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 HB 1289 (2026) — Geologists; added to definition of "professional services," continuing education.

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 SB 492.

## Version chain

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

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088056.PDF)
2. **Chaptered** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217982.PDF)
3. **General Laws Substitute** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115331.PDF)
4. **Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process Subcommittee Substitute** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103345.PDF)
5. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177998.PDF)

## Votes

- Passage R — **38–0** (pass) · upper
- Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) — **40–0** (pass) · upper
- Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute — **9–0** (pass) · lower
- Reported from General Laws and Technology — **13–0** (pass) · upper
- Reported from General Laws with substitute — **21–0** (pass) · lower
- H VOTE: — **95–3** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Bill Wiley — primary (person)
- Amy J. Laufer — cosponsor (person)
- Shelly A. Simonds — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2026-01-14** Presented and ordered printed 26102918D `introduction`
- **2026-01-14** Referred to Committee on General Laws `referral-committee`
- **2026-01-26** Assigned HGL sub: Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process `referral-committee`
- **2026-01-29** House subcommittee offered
- **2026-01-29** Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (9-Y 0-N) `substitution`
- **2026-02-03** Reported from General Laws with substitute (21-Y 0-N) `committee-passage`
- **2026-02-03** Committee substitute printed 26105942D-H1 `substitution`
- **2026-02-04** Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1289)
- **2026-02-05** Read first time `reading-1`
- **2026-02-06** Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar
- **2026-02-06** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2026-02-06** committee substitute agreed to `substitution`
- **2026-02-06** Engrossed by House - committee substitute `substitution`
- **2026-02-09** Read third time and passed House (95-Y 3-N 0-A) `passage, reading-3`
- **2026-02-10** Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- **2026-02-10** Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology `referral-committee`
- **2026-02-18** Reported from General Laws and Technology (13-Y 0-N) `committee-passage`
- **2026-02-20** Rules suspended
- **2026-02-20** Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- **2026-02-20** Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
- **2026-02-23** Read third time `reading-3`
- **2026-02-23** Passed Senate (38-Y 0-N 0-A) `passage`
- **2026-02-25** Enrolled `enrolled`
- **2026-02-25** Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1289ER) `passage`
- **2026-02-25** Signed by Speaker `passage`
- **2026-02-25** Signed by President `passage`
- **2026-02-25** Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1289)
- **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 462 (effective 7/1/2026) `executive-signature`
- **2026-04-08** Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0462)

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/b0fd09df-383d-4bee-aa0e-d599b8e9a253`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Virginia legislature records).