State Sen. David R. Suetterlein has introduced a new bill intended to revise child labor rules, creating expanded employment pathways for 16- and 17-year-olds participating in apprenticeships and related occupational training, according to the Virginia State Senate.
This measure, filed as SB10 on Jan. 14, 2026, during the 2026 regular session, is officially titled: “Employment prohibition exceptions; apprenticeship program for children 16 years of age or older.”
The following explanation reflects an analysis of the bill’s official language and includes clarifications for its key elements.
Broadly, the bill modifies Virginia’s child labor law, expanding conditions under which individuals 16 and older may participate in otherwise restricted jobs while enrolled in apprenticeships or other work-based learning opportunities. If 16- and 17-year-olds are in recognized apprenticeships governed under state law and comply with rules established by the Commissioner of Labor and Industry, they may work in a wider variety of fields. The bill additionally allows these minors to seek employment in barbershops and cosmetology establishments as registered apprentices, in recognized school work-training programs, or if they present an industry credential, license, or other verifiable proof of skill, which can include certain college coursework.
Sponsorship for the bill comes from Sen. David R. Suetterlein (Republican-4th District), Rep. Joseph P. McNamara (Republican-40th District), and Rep. Sam Rasoul (Democrat-38th District).
Since the start of the session, Suetterlein has filed 14 more bills.
Suetterlein earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Grove City College.
Suetterlein, a Republican, was elected in 2024 to represent Virginia’s 4th Senate district, succeeding Ryan McDougle in the chamber.
Virginia legislation begins as a bill in either chamber—the House of Delegates or the Senate—and is referred to relevant committees for review and possible revision. If the committees advance it, the proposed law moves to a full chamber vote and proceeds to the other house for consideration. Upon passing both chambers, the measure goes to the governor, who may sign it, veto it, or let it become law without signature. The Virginia General Assembly meets annually in regular sessions beginning on the second Monday in January, with legislators introducing hundreds of bills each year and only a share ultimately reaching law status.
| Patron(s) | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| David R. Suetterlein, Joseph P. McNamara, and Sam Rasoul | SB10 | 01/14/2026 | Employment prohibition exceptions; apprenticeship program for children 16 years of age or older. |
| David R. Suetterlein, Bill DeSteph, Bryce E. Reeves, Christie New Craig, Christopher T. Head, Emily M. Jordan, Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr., J.D. “Danny” Diggs, Luther Cifers, III, Mark D. Obenshain, Mark J. Peake, Richard H. Stuart, Ryan T. McDougle, T. Travis Hackworth, Tammy Brankley Mulchi, Tara A. Durant, Timmy F. French, Todd E. Pillion, and William M. Stanley, Jr. | SB7 | 01/14/2026 | Income tax, state; standard deduction and earned income tax credit. |
| David R. Suetterlein, Bill DeSteph, Bryce E. Reeves, Christie New Craig, Christopher T. Head, Emily M. Jordan, Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr., J.D. “Danny” Diggs, Luther Cifers, III, Mark D. Obenshain, Mark J. Peake, Richard H. Stuart, Ryan T. McDougle, T. Travis Hackworth, Tammy Brankley Mulchi, Tara A. Durant, Timmy F. French, Todd E. Pillion, and William M. Stanley, Jr. | SB9 | 01/14/2026 | RS & UT; food for human consumption and essential personal hygiene products, delayed effective date. |
| David R. Suetterlein | SB15 | 01/14/2026 | Motorcycle Driver Improvement Clinic Fund; created. |
| David R. Suetterlein and Bill DeSteph | SB17 | 01/14/2026 | Enforcement of vehicle liens; increases property value. |
| David R. Suetterlein | SB202 | 01/14/2026 | Elections; filling vacancies in county and city governing bodies. |
| David R. Suetterlein and Bryce E. Reeves | SB203 | 01/14/2026 | Teacher licensure; career and technical education or dual enrollment, three-year licenses. |
| David R. Suetterlein, Angelia Williams Graves, and Tammy Brankley Mulchi | SB204 | 01/14/2026 | License plates, special; issuance to members of Virginia REALTORS, fees collected. |
| David R. Suetterlein and T. Travis Hackworth | SB205 | 01/14/2026 | Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities; program extension. |
| David R. Suetterlein, Barbara A. Favola, Anne Ferrell Tata, Irene Shin, and Joshua G. Cole | SB206 | 01/14/2026 | Juvenile and domestic relations district courts; petitions for relief of care and custody. |
| David R. Suetterlein | SB533 | 01/14/2026 | Elections; absentee voting in person, uniform availability. |
| David R. Suetterlein, Joseph P. McNamara, and Sam Rasoul | SB534 | 01/14/2026 | Emergency custody orders; transportation to treatment center, etc. |
| David R. Suetterlein | SB538 | 01/14/2026 | Parole; investigation prior to release, input from the attorney for the Commonwealth. |
| David R. Suetterlein | SB686 | 01/14/2026 | Holding a handheld personal communications device while driving; driver improvement clinic. |
| David R. Suetterlein | SB692 | 01/14/2026 | Western Virginia Public Education Consortium; governance, funding, duties, report. |
Information in this article was obtained from the Virginia State Senate. The source data can be found here.
