Bill > HB547

This bill requires that when a county or city government contracts with a private company to provide public transportation services, they must ensure that the private company provides its employees with compensation and benefits that are at least equivalent to those of a county or city employee in a similar position with comparable years of service, and that these services are provided by the company's own employees. Furthermore, if a private company's contract is taken over by another private company (a successor company), all employees of the original company must be offered employment by the successor company without any reduction in their pay or benefits. The bill also outlines requirements if a county or city decides to operate its own public transportation system after contracting with a private company, including offering employment to the private company's employees without loss of compensation or benefits. Importantly, these provisions do not apply to certain types of transit services like commuter rail, paratransit, demand-responsive services, or ferry services, and they do not override existing collective bargaining agreements that might offer even better terms. A work group will be established to develop recommendations for implementing these requirements, particularly for multi-locality transportation commissions, and will report its findings by November 1, 2026.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry, Government Affairs

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB547