Virginia lawmakers pass SB319, updating rules for migrant labor camp permit expirations

Sen. Russet Perry’s sponsored bill, now approved, updates Virginia’s migrant labor camp permit regulations by tying permit expiration to the issuance date, not the calendar year, the Virginia State Senate reports.

The bill received unanimous support in both chambers, being formally enrolled on Feb. 26, 2026, after a 98-0 vote in the House and 40-0 in the Senate.

Introduced as SB319 on Jan. 14, 2026, during the 2026 regular session, the legislation was summarized by the state legislature as: “Migrant labor camp permits; removes expiration date.”

The following overview is based on a direct review of the bill text and is intended to clarify its terms.

This measure amends Virginia’s laws on migrant labor camp permits by altering permit validity periods. The state health commissioner must continue to inspect camps and issue permits only when all legal and regulatory criteria are satisfied; permits remain non-transferable. With this revision, each permit will expire 12 months from the date of issuance rather than automatically on Dec. 31, synchronizing the permit’s term with its issuance date.

In the House, 64 Democrats and 34 Republicans voted in favor.

In the Senate, all 21 Democrats and 19 Republicans supported the measure.

The legislation was carried by Sen. Russet Perry (Democrat-31st District) and Sen. Kannan Srinivasan (Democrat-32nd District).

Perry earned degrees from George Washington University and Georgetown University, where she obtained her JD.

Perry, a Democrat, was elected to the Virginia State Senate in 2024 to represent the 31st Senate district, succeeding Barbara Favola.

Virginia’s legislative process starts when a bill is introduced in either chamber, then reviewed and potentially amended by one or more committees. If advanced, the bill goes to a floor vote in both the House and Senate. Passage in both sends the bill to the governor for a signature, veto, or to become law without action. The General Assembly meets annually, starting the second Monday in January, and reviews hundreds of bills, only some of which become law.

Information in this article was obtained from the Virginia State Senate. The source data can be found here.