Virginia legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Virginia SB637: An Act to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-3904, 2.2-3905, and 2.2-3907 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Human Rights Act; nondiscrimination; procedures for a charge of unlawful discrimination.
Status: Chaptered, April 13, 2026
Virginia Human Rights Act; procedures for a charge of unlawful discrimination. Provides that, for the purposes of nondiscrimination in places of public accommodation, "place of public accommodation" includes educational institutions. The bill reduces from 15 to five the number of employees in the definition of "employer" for purposes of nondiscrimination in employment. The bill also amends from 300 days to two years the timeframe for filing a complaint alleging unlawful discrimination with the Office of the Attorney General.
What the bill says
An Act to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-3904, 2.2-3905, and 2.2-3907 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Human Rights Act; nondiscrimination; procedures for a charge of unlawful discrimination. [S 637] Approved April 13, 2026 1. That §§ 2.2-3904, 2.2-3905, and 2.2-3907 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as definitions. A. As used in this section: "Age" means being an individual who is at least 18 years of age. "Place of public accommodation" means all places or businesses offering or holding out to the general public goods, services, privileges, facilities, advantages, or a.
From the enrolled text, April 13, 2026:
An Act to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-3904, 2.2-3905, and 2.2-3907 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Human Rights Act; nondiscrimination; procedures for a charge of unlawful discrimination. [S 637] Approved April 13, 2026 1. That §§ 2.2-3904, 2.2-3905, and 2.2-3907 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as definitions. A. As used in this section: "Age" means being an individual who is at least 18 years of age. "Place of public accommodation" means all places or businesses offering or holding out to the general public goods, services, privileges, facilities, advantages, or accommodations, including educational institutions. B. It is an unlawful discriminatory practice for any person, including the owner, lessee, proprietor, manager, superintendent, agent, or employee of any place of public accommodation, to refuse, withhold from, or deny any individual, or to attempt to refuse, withhold from, or deny any individual, directly or indirectly, any of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, services, or privileges made available in any place of public accommodation, or to segregate or discriminate against any such person in the use thereof, or to publish, circulate, issue, display, post, or mail, either directly or indirectly, any communication, notice, or advertisement to the effect that any of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, or services of any such place shall be refused, withheld from, or denied …