(The Center Square) – Hundreds of new Virginia laws are scheduled to take effect Wednesday, bringing changes to employment, housing, firearm laws and civil rights protections.

Among the most significant employment changes, House Bill 636 prohibits employers from asking job applicants about their salary history. The law also requires employers to disclose a good-faith salary or wage range in public and internal job postings.

Workers also receive new protections under Senate Bill 170, which limits the use of noncompete agreements for employees discharged without cause. Employers generally cannot enforce a noncompete unless the employee receives severance pay or other monetary compensation disclosed when the agreement was signed.

Another workplace measure, Senate Bill 128, expands Virginia’s restrictions on noncompete agreements by prohibiting their use for most licensed health care professionals, including physicians, nurses, psychologists, counselors and social workers.

Housing laws also change July 1. Under House Bill 15, landlords generally must wait 14 days instead of five after giving written notice of unpaid rent before pursuing termination of a rental agreement.

House Bill 925 extends the time to file an employment discrimination complaint under the Virginia Human Rights Act from 300 days to two years. It also allows complainants who filed a charge with a local human rights agency to pursue a civil action after 180 days under certain circumstances.

Several firearm-related laws also take effect July 1.

House Bill 229 prohibits firearms in hospitals that provide mental health or developmental services. House Bill 626 expands restrictions on carrying firearms in certain state-owned or leased buildings, while House Bill 871 requires firearms to be secured with a locking device or kept in a locked container in homes where minors or people legally prohibited from possessing firearms are present.

Additional measures include House Bill 93, which updates the process for people who are legally prohibited from possessing firearms, including some people subject to protective orders or certain domestic violence convictions, to transfer or surrender their firearms. House Bill 1015 prohibits people convicted of certain misdemeanor hate crimes from possessing firearms for three years.

Other firearm legislation remains tied up in court or delayed.

A preliminary injunction blocks enforcement of House Bill 217 and Senate Bill 749, which prohibit the sale, purchase and transfer of certain assault firearms and large-capacity magazines, pending ongoing litigation.

House Bill 901 is also scheduled to take effect July 1, expanding who may petition a court for an emergency substantial risk order that temporarily prohibits a person from possessing or purchasing firearms. The law also makes procedural changes for those petitions, including cases involving minors.

Most legislation approved during the General Assembly’s regular session takes effect July 1 unless lawmakers specify a different effective date.