Child Labor
SB998
Chief Patron:
Angelia Williams Graves
(D)
Current Status: Awaiting Governor's Action
Summary as Passed House of Origin:
Requires that a child under the age of 16 who meets certain criteria specified in the bill to be considered a child engaged in the work of content creation be compensated by the content creator, defined in the bill, whose video content includes such child's likeness, name, or photograph. The bill requires the content creator to set aside gross earnings on the video content that includes the likeness, name, or photograph of the child in a trust account to be preserved for the benefit of the child upon attaining 18 years of age or having been declared emancipated. The bill also requires the content creator to maintain certain records specified in the bill and provide them to the child and the holder of the trust account on an ongoing basis. The bill also allows the child, or his parent or guardian on behalf of such child, to commence a civil action if the content creator fails to maintain the required records and to enforce the provisions of law related to the trust account.
Drafting
Long before the session started, Senator Williams Graves worked with Virginia's Division of Legislative Services (DLS) to put this bill in proper legal form. During this phase, legislators describe their policy goals, and DLS provides nonpartisan legal and research support. This is called the "prefiling period," and typically begins in late fall and ends shortly before the session starts in January.
Jan. 7
Prefiling
Senator Williams Graves submitted this bill for pre-filing with the Virginia Division of Legislative Services (DLS) on Jan. 7, 2025.
It was given a title, assigned a unique number and became Senate Bill 998 (SB998) of the 2025 Regular Session.
At this point its text was entered into the official public record. This allows anyone interested in the bill, including citizens and interest groups, to review the proposed legislation in advance.
Official Description: "Child labor; child engaged in the work of content creation, trust account."
Assigned to Committee
SB998 was referred to a Senate committee:
Commerce & Labor.
In the Senate, the Clerk of the Senate refers bills to a standing committee based on the subject matter of the bill and the jurisdiction of the committees. The Virginia Senate Rules provide guidelines for which topics go to which committees.
The Senate President (usually the Lieutenant Governor) and majority party leadership often play an informal role in these decisions.
In the U.S. Congress, committee jurisdictions — where bills should go — is more strictly defined, so leadership in Congress has more power to decide where bills should be assigned. Another difference is that bills in the GA are generally assigned to a single committee in each chamber, where in Congress bills are frequently referred to multiple committees in the House and sometimes in the Senate.
Jan. 20
Incorporated Another Bill
The committee decided to incorporate another bill that is already under consideration. This allows two or more bills that address the same or closely related issues to be merged.
SB998 has become the "primary" bill and moves forward; SB840 effectively "disappears" as a standalone pieces of legislation, but its language or concepts may live on in the primary bill.
The official record reads: "Incorporates SB840(VanValkenburg)"
Jan. 26
Impact Statement
A fiscal impact statement reports on the bill's potential financial effects: costs or savings to the state budget or local governments (e.g., hiring new staff, implementing programs).
Legislators requested a fiscal impact statement from the Department of Planning and Budget.
Impact statements provide legislators with factual, nonpartisan data, helping them weigh the benefits and drawbacks of a bill.
Jan. 27
Approved by Committee
SB998 has "reported" from committee, where lawmakers have voted to send it on for consideration by the full body. It now goes to the floor of the full chamber for debate, possible further amendments, and votes.
The official record reads: "Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N 1-A)"
Reprinted
SB998 was "substitute printed," meaning that enough changes were made to the original bill that a new ("substitute") version was called for.
Jan. 30
Approved by Committee
SB998 has "reported" from committee, where lawmakers have voted to send it on for consideration by the full body. It now goes to the floor of the full chamber for debate, possible further amendments, and votes.
The official record reads: "Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (15-Y 0-N)"
Reprinted
SB998 was "substitute printed," meaning that enough changes were made to the original bill that a new ("substitute") version was called for.
Jan. 31
Impact Statement
A fiscal impact statement reports on the bill's potential financial effects: costs or savings to the state budget or local governments (e.g., hiring new staff, implementing programs).
Legislators requested a fiscal impact statement from the Department of Planning and Budget.
Impact statements provide legislators with factual, nonpartisan data, helping them weigh the benefits and drawbacks of a bill.
Feb. 3
Rules Suspended
Legislators voted to temporarily set aside or bypass standard rules of procedure. This may be to allow a bill to be considered, or voted on without following the usual steps, such as waiting for the required number of days or readings.
Reading Skipped
The Senate voted to dispense with the
First
Reading.
The Virginia Constitution requires that bills need to be formally read three times in each chamber before they can be passed. To streamline the process, legislators can vote to dispense with the reading on one or more of the required days.
The official record reads: "Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N)"
Passed by for the Day
SB998 was temporarily set aside in the Senate. Legislators may need more time to review the bill or gather information, there may be ongoing discussions or negotiations, or there may not have been enough time to work on all the bills on the day's agenda.
Feb. 4
Tuesday, February 4 was "Crossover Day": the last day for each house to act on its own legislation (except Budget Bills).
Second Reading
An official reading of the bill in the Senate as required by the Virginia Constitution.
The Second Reading allows discussion and potential modification of the bill before a final vote; this is when debate and amendments typically happen.
New Version Rejected
Legislators voted to reject the new ("substitute") version of the text of the bill.
The official record reads: "Commerce and Labor Substitute rejected "
Reading Skipped
The Senate has chosen not to formally read aloud the full text of the new ("substitute") version of the text of the bill before debate or voting.
The official record reads: "Reading of substitute waived"
New Version Approved
Legislators voted to approve the new ("substitute") version of the text of the bill.
The official record reads: "Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to "
Finalized for a Vote
The Virginia Senate has completed its work on SB998, including any debate and voting. The bill is now "engrossed" and prepared in its official format, with any amendments or changes made in the Senate.
The version of the bill that was engrossed is the "committee substitute," the version created and adopted by the committee that reviewed the bill.
The official record reads: "Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute"
Rules Suspended
Legislators voted to temporarily set aside or bypass standard rules of procedure. This may be to allow a bill to be considered, or voted on without following the usual steps, such as waiting for the required number of days or readings.
Reading Skipped
The Senate voted to dispense with the
Third
Reading.
The Virginia Constitution requires that bills need to be formally read three times in each chamber before they can be passed. To streamline the process, legislators can vote to dispense with the reading on one or more of the required days.
The official record reads: "Constitutional reading dispensed (on 3rd reading) (40-Y 0-N)"
Won Vote in the Senate
SB998 got a floor vote in the Senate: lawmakers of the full chamber weighed in on whether or not it should proceed.
SB998 won that vote and will now proceed
to "conference," where the House and Senate work together to reconcile any differences in the version of the bills they passed.
If the vote had been a tie and Lieutenant Governor Winsome-Sears were present, she would have been able to cast the deciding vote. The Lieutenant Governor is the President of the Senate and acts as a tiebreaker the same way a vice president does in the U.S. Senate. If the Lieutenant Governor is not present for a tie vote, the motion fails, the same way it does in the House.
The official record reads: "Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)"
Feb. 6
Impact Statement
A fiscal impact statement reports on the bill's potential financial effects: costs or savings to the state budget or local governments (e.g., hiring new staff, implementing programs).
Legislators requested a fiscal impact statement from the Department of Planning and Budget.
Impact statements provide legislators with factual, nonpartisan data, helping them weigh the benefits and drawbacks of a bill.
Feb. 7
Placed on Calendar
SB998 has been scheduled for consideration by the full chamber (the House of Delegates) on a specific legislative day. This happens when a bill passes out of committee or is being reconsidered. If a bill is on the calendar, it is active and awaiting action.
First Reading
An official reading of the bill in the House as required by the Virginia Constitution.
In the First Reading, the bill is read by title only, with no debate or votes.
Assigned to Committee
SB998 was referred to a House committee:
Labor and Commerce.
In the House of Delegates, the Speaker of the House (Don Scott) assigns bills to committees based on the subject matter of the bill and the jurisdiction of the committees. The House Rules provide guidelines for which topics go to which committees (Download House Rules). The Speaker has considerable decision-making power in determining which committee is most appropriate.
In the U.S. Congress, committee jurisdictions — where bills should go — is more strictly defined, so leadership in Congress has more power to decide where bills should be assigned. Another difference is that bills in the GA are generally assigned to a single committee in each chamber, where in Congress bills are frequently referred to multiple committees in the House and sometimes in the Senate.
Feb. 13
Approved by Committee
SB998 has "reported" from committee, where lawmakers have voted to send it on for consideration by the full body. It now goes to the floor of the full chamber for debate, possible further amendments, and votes.
The official record reads: "Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (12-Y 10-N)"
Reprinted
SB998 was "substitute printed," meaning that enough changes were made to the original bill that a new ("substitute") version was called for.
Feb. 17
Monday, February 17 was the last day for committee action on remaining bills.
Second Reading
An official reading of the bill in the House as required by the Virginia Constitution.
The Second Reading allows discussion and potential modification of the bill before a final vote; this is when debate and amendments typically happen.
Feb. 18
Third Reading
An official reading of the bill in the House as required by the Virginia Constitution.
In the Third Reading, the bill is read a third and final time.
No further amendments can be made on the floor.
A recorded final vote is taken to decide whether the bill will move forward.
New Version Approved
Legislators voted to approve the new ("substitute") version of the text of the bill.
The official record reads: "Labor and Commerce Substitute agreed to "
Finalized for a Vote
The Virginia Senate has completed its work on SB998, including any debate and voting. The bill is now "engrossed" and prepared in its official format, with any amendments or changes made in the Senate.
The version of the bill that was engrossed is the "committee substitute," the version created and adopted by the committee that reviewed the bill.
The official record reads: "Engrossed by House - committee substitute"
Won Vote in the House
SB998 got a floor vote in the House: lawmakers of the full chamber weighed in on whether or not it should proceed.
SB998 won that vote and will now proceed
to "conference," where the House and Senate work together to reconcile any differences in the version of the bills they passed.
If the vote had been a tie, the motion would have failed. Unlike the Senate, the House has no tiebreaking procedure.
The official record reads: "Passed House with substitute (54-Y 43-N)"
Feb. 19
New Version Approved
Legislators voted to approve the new ("substitute") version of the text of the bill.
The official record reads: "House substitute agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N)"
Feb. 21
Impact Statement
A fiscal impact statement reports on the bill's potential financial effects: costs or savings to the state budget or local governments (e.g., hiring new staff, implementing programs).
Legislators requested a fiscal impact statement from the Department of Planning and Budget.
Impact statements provide legislators with factual, nonpartisan data, helping them weigh the benefits and drawbacks of a bill.
Mar. 7
Enrolled
SB998 was "enrolled": it has passed both chambers in its final form. Legislative staff will prepare a clean final copy of the bill, incorporating any amendments, and it will be signed by presiding officers (Speaker of the House, Senate President, or clerks) before being presented to the Governor Youngkin to sign. This is the same process at the federal level, where the U.S. Congress and Senate pass a bill in identical form and present it to the President.
Reprinted
SB998 was "substitute printed," meaning that enough changes were made to the original bill that a new ("substitute") version was called for.
Impact Statement
A fiscal impact statement reports on the bill's potential financial effects: costs or savings to the state budget or local governments (e.g., hiring new staff, implementing programs).
Legislators requested a fiscal impact statement from the Department of Planning and Budget.
Impact statements provide legislators with factual, nonpartisan data, helping them weigh the benefits and drawbacks of a bill.
Signed by Speaker
SB998 was certified by a presiding officer for the House:
the Speaker of the House, Don Scott.
Mar. 10
Signed by President
SB998 was certified by a presiding officer for the Senate:
Senate President Winsome Earle-Sears.
Mar. 11
Sent to Governor
The final form of SB998 was formally presented to the Governor for approval.
Deadline
The official record reads: "Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025"
Mar. 24
New Version from Governor
Governor Youngkin has returned the bill to the General Assembly with suggested changes, rather than signing it as-is or vetoing it outright. These changes can be anything from minor fixes (e.g., typos, grammar) to major policy changes.
This process doesn't exist at the federal level, where the President doesn't have the power to suggest changes or partially approve a bill. Also, a Governor's recommendation is different from a "line-item veto," which allows Governors to reject specific parts of bills before signing. In Virginia, Governors can use line-item vetoes on budget bills. The President cannot, and must either sign or veto an entire bill, without recommendations or line-item vetoes.
The official record reads: "Governor's recommendation received by Senate"
Reprinted
SB998 was "substitute printed," meaning that enough changes were made to the original bill that a new ("substitute") version was called for.
Apr. 2
Senate Agreed to New Version
The Senate has accepted the Governor's changes to the bill.
The official record reads: "Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (20-Y 19-N)"
Senate Decided to Vote Again
The official record reads: "Reconsideration of Governor's recommendation agreed to (40-Y 0-N)"
Senate Rejected New Version
The Senate has rejected the Governor's changes to the bill.
The text of the bill now goes back to the version passed during the session. That version will go back to the Governor who then must decide to sign it, veto it, or do nothing. Vetoes made at this point cannot be overturned. Unlike the federal system (where inaction creates a "pocket veto"), doing nothing means the bill will become law.
The official record reads: "Senate rejected Governor's recommendation (19-Y 21-N)"
Communicated to Governor
The official record reads: "Communicated to Governor"
Deadline
The official record reads: "Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 2, 2025"