Governor Spanberger signs bipartisan bills to strengthen schools and support students

Governor Abigail Spanberger signed bills to support high school career and technical education, streamline financial aid, & empower parents to engage in their child’s course selection. 

Additionally, the Governor signed legislation into law to strengthen school construction and modernization planning, following her executive order focused on strengthening K-12 schools, helping students succeed, and hearing directly from parents, educators, students, and school leaders. 

Click here to watch Governor Spanberger speak on the education bills signed into law. 

Governor Spanberger signed the following bills into law to strengthen schools and support students:

• HB332 (Delegate Sam Rasoul), SB203 (Senator David Suetterlein). Making it easier to get career and technical education teachers into the classroom. Passed unanimously. 

• SB592 (Senator Lamont Bagby). Aligning career and technical education course offerings with emerging industry and workforce needs. Passed unanimously. 

• HB544 (Delegate Alex Askew), SB498 (Senator Lashrecse Aird). Supporting new investment in K-12 schools by making the Commission on School Construction and Modernization permanent and requiring a 10-year capital roadmap. Passed unanimously.

• HB211 (Delegate Debra Gardner). Studying barriers to Head Start and Early Head Start participation in Virginia. Passed with bipartisan support. 

• HB1221 (Delegate Briana Sewell), SB167 (Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg). Cutting red tape by streamlining Virginia’s higher education financial aid programs to reduce confusion and help Virginia students apply for awards. Passed unanimously.  

• HB924 (Delegate Sam Rasoul). Directing the Board of Education and Superintendent of Public Instruction to support the improvement of low-performing schools. Passed with bipartisan support. 

• HB299 (Delegate Dan Helmer), SB200 (Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg). Strengthening the administration of Standards of Learning assessments. Passed with bipartisan support. 

• SB817 (Senator David Suetterlein). Empowering parents by requiring schools to notify parents of student course enrollment deadlines and the process for requesting changes to course selection. Passed unanimously. 

• HB1243 (Delegate Israel O’Quinn). Ensuring state accountability ratings accurately reflect student achievement growth. Passed unanimously. 

• HB647 (Delegate Hillary Kent). Helping more career and technical education instructors get licensed. Passed unanimously. 

• HB206 (Delegate Karen Keys-Gamarra). Giving parents additional information about administration of college partnership laboratory schools. Passed with bipartisan support. 

• SB108 (Senator Stella Pekarsky). Making clear the prohibition on student cellphone and smart device use on school property from bell to bell, helping public school students learn in a distraction-free environment during class time and focus on social interaction during lunch. Passed with bipartisan support. 

• HB1486 (Delegate Sam Rasoul), SB568 (Senator Glen Sturtevant). Instructing students on the addictive potential of electronic devices. Passed with bipartisan support. 

• SB245 (Senator Christopher Head). Prohibiting schools from using social media as the sole method of communicating with students about school-related extracurricular activities. Passed unanimously. 

Governor Spanberger signed the following bills into law to help keep students safe and healthy at school and in their communities:

• HB1086 (Delegate Amy Laufer). Encouraging K-12 schools to purchase fresh school meal ingredients from Virginia farmers and producers. Passed unanimously. 

• HB832 (Delegate Kimberly Pope Adams). Assisting Governor’s Schools in increasing meal offerings available to all students. Passed with bipartisan support. 

• HB705 (Delegate Cliff Hayes), SB151 (Senator Christie New Craig). Developing a statewide program of instruction on water safety for elementary school students. Passed with bipartisan support. 

• HB957 (Delegate Elizabeth Guzman). Ensuring school divisions have information about the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in K-12 schools. Passed unanimously. 

• HB971 (Delegate Cia Price). Protecting student-athlete’s biometric data. Passed with bipartisan support. 

• SB529 (Senator Danny Diggs). Focusing the training of school security officers on emergency procedures and responding to behavioral threats in schools. Passed unanimously. 

• HB1301 (Delegate Josh Thomas), SB122 (Senator Jeremy McPike). Supporting students with diabetes. Passed unanimously.

Sofhia Pineda

Government Relations Specialist

Virginia School Boards Association

200 Hansen Road, Suite 2

Charlottesville, VA 22911

800-466-8722 or 434-295-8722 Office

sofhia@vsba.org, www.vsba.org

Governor Spanberger begins signing 2026 bills into law

The 2026 Virginia General Assembly officially adjourned on March 14, 2026. Governor Spanberger has until April 13, 2026, to take action on legislation by signing, vetoing, or recommending amendments to bills passed by the General Assembly.

Below are several education-related bills that have been signed thus far. 

HB38

(CHAP0047)

Public schools; mental health awareness training and instruction, requirements.

• Mandate- Mental health awareness training to include youth populations that are at high risk of experiencing mental health challenges, youth experiencing homelessness, suicide, foster care, identify as LGBTQ+.

HB171

(CHAP0048)

Student instruction; internet safety, policy to include key modern digital safety topics.

• Mandate- school board to review the acceptable use policy for internet and internet safety in a division's instructional program that includes instruction on modern digital safety topics, including online scams, misinformation, and AI generated content. 

HB195

(CHAP0049)

Programs for at-risk students; permissible uses of funding.

• Creates the At-Risk Program grants (gets rid of block grant program) and extends the use of funds to initiatives to support a student's physical and mental health, hiring licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and advanced practice registered nurses. 

SB33

(CHAP0050)

Programs for at-risk students; permissible uses of funding.

• Creates the At-Risk Program grants (gets rid of block grant program) and extends the use of funds to initiatives to support a student's physical and mental health, hiring licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and advanced practice registered nurses. 

HB210

(CHAP0054)

School meal debt; each school board to annually report.

• Mandate- each school board to annually report to the VDOE the amount of school meal debt in the local school division. No personally identifiable student information should be contained in the report. 

HB592

(CHAP0045)

Public schools; wearable panic alarm systems.

• Permissive- school boards may provide their employees in a public elementary and secondary school with a wearable panic alarm system. 

HB1071

(CHAP0046)

Public elementary and secondary schools & higher educational institutions; threat assessment teams.

• Mandate- to include in existing annual training a specific education and training on the use of emergency substantial risk orders and substantial risk orders to address the risk of harm to self or others posed by a student's access to a firearm (developed in consultation between the VDOE and the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety).  

Sofhia Pineda

Government Relations Specialist

Virginia School Boards Association

200 Hansen Road, Suite 2

Charlottesville, VA 22911

800-466-8722 or 434-295-8722 Office

sofhia@vsba.org, www.vsba.org

The 2026 Session of the Virginia General Assembly has adjourned

The 2026 Session of the Virginia General Assembly adjourned Sine Die, i.e., final adjournment, on Saturday, March 14, 2026, with lawmakers stalled on the FY2026-FY2028 biennium budget. Following defeat of both HB30 and SB30 budget amendments and with budget conferees unable to reach an agreement, lawmakers are set to return for a Special Session at a date to be determined.

The Virginia House of Delegates and the Senate of Virginia introduced a total of 2,328 bills, with 1,337 bills making their way to crossover. Several pieces of legislation were sent to a conference committee composed of members from both chambers to reach an agreement.

As of March 16, 2026, bills in conference have now either reported, failed to reach an agreement, or have been left in conference, with several other bills awaiting Governor’s action.

Under Virginia law, the governor has 30 days to sign, veto or recommend amendments to legislation passed by the House and Senate. If no action is taken within that timeframe, the bills automatically become law.

Here are a few of the bills currently at the Governor’s desk. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of legislation pertaining to public education:

 

HB 18 - Employee Child Care Assistance Pilot Program; established, reports.

HB 38 - Public schools; mental health awareness training and instruction, requirements.

HB116 & SB824 - School board employee grievance procedure; timing of dispute resolution.

HB125 - Public school teachers; reemployment of teacher who has not received continuing contract status.

HB139 - School board policies; unpaid educational leave for certain employee association officers. 

HB210 - School meal debt; each school board to annually report.

HB332 & SB203- Teacher licensure; career and technical education or dual enrollment; three-year licenses.

HB355 - Public school students in grades six through 12; annual mental health screening.  

HB468 - Students with disabilities; development of a model transition IEP, access by students, report.  

HB544 - School Construction and Modernization, Commission on; revisions, elimination of sunset. 

HB592 - Public schools; wearable panic alarm systems, grant program. 

HB643 - School Performance and Support Framework; Board of Education to consider certain changes, report. 

HB849 - Public school employees; suspension, notice and opportunity for a hearing.

HB924 - Public Instruction, Super. of; state program to support improvement of low-preforming schools.

HB1455 & SB815 - School bds.; opening of school year, certain alternative schedules & schedule flexibility permitted.

SB245 - School boards; use of social media by schools, etc.

SB529 - Public schools; school security and discipline, employment of school security officers, training.  

SB530 - Conflict of Interests Act, State/Local Gov't.; electronic discl. by local govt officers & employees.

SB699 - Virginia Freedom of Information Act; public bodies to post meeting agendas.

SB817 - School bds; parental notification of course registration deadlines and processes required, policies.

HB544 - School Construction and Modernization, Commission on; revisions, elimination of sunset.

SB30 (budget bill) - 4-14 #1s School Construction Sales Tax.

 

The VSBA Executive Director and lobbyists are in daily contact discussing proposed legislation and the VSBA Legislative Positions that drive the Association’s lobbying efforts, including the decision to send action alerts to the membership. The Association's lobbying efforts are based on positions contained in the VSBA Legislative Positions Handbook that is approved each year by the VSBA Delegate Assembly. Local school boards are not bound to this handbook and can adopt local positions on legislation and policy.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Sofhia Pineda, Government Relations Specialist, at 434-326-2350 or sofhia@vsba.org.

2026 Bills Headed to Conference

2026 Bills in Conference (so far)

In the Virginia General Assembly, sending a bill to conference means that the House of Delegates and the Senate have passed different versions of the same bill and will try to find final compromise before it can move forward.

When one chamber amends a bill that originated in the other chamber and the originating chamber does not agree with those amendments, the bill is referred to a conference committee composed of members from both the VA House of Delegates and VA Senate.

Once the conference committee reaches an agreement, a report is sent back to both chambers for a vote.

Below, you will find a few bills that have been posted on the Legislative Information System (LIS) sent to conference with their respective assigned list of conferees. There are several bills that were decided during committee to be sent to a conference, but that are not yet available. More to come!

 

HB125, patron by Delegate Reaser, provides that a written notice of noncontinuation of a continuing teacher contract by the teacher must be given by June 15 of each year is now heading to conference.

Senate Conferees include:

• Senator Pekarsky
• Senator Craig
• Senator VanVulkenburg

House Conferees include:

• Delegate Reaser
• Delegate McAuliff
• Delegate Tata

 

HB705, patron by Delegate Hayes, requires the Board of Education to develop and make available to each school board guidelines for a program of instruction on water safety to be provided as a part of any health education instruction provided to elementary school students.

Senate Conferees include:

• Senator Perry
• Senator Pekarsky
• Senator Craig

 

House Conferees include:

• Delegate Hayes
• Delegate Simonds
• Delegate Kilgore

  

HB1278, patron by Delegate Reaser, requires each school board to develop, implement, and post in a publicly accessible location on its website a language access plan consisting of policies and procedures designed to ensure meaningful communication with and informational accessibility for limited English proficient (LEP) parents, as that term is defined in the bill. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

Senate Conferees include:

• Senator Pekarsky
• Senator VanVulkenburg
• Senator Head

House Conferees include:

• Delegate Reaser
• Delegate Cohen
• Delegate Tata

 

SB134, patron by Senator Locke, requires the Department of Education to establish and maintain a calculation to be used to provide a cost estimate for funding needed per biennium to address parental demand for the provision of early childhood care and education services.  

Senate Conferees include:

• Senator Locke
• Senator Favola
• Senator Pillion

House Conferees include:

TBD

 

HB30, House Budget Bill conferees include:

• Senator Lucas
• Senator Deeds
• Senator Locke
• Senator Pillion
• Senator Stuart
• Delegate Torian
• Delegate Carr
• Delegate McQuinn
• Delegate Krizek
• Delegate Austin
• Delegate Bloxom

 

Sofhia Pineda
Government Relations Specialist
Virginia School Boards Association
200 Hansen Road, Suite 2
Charlottesville, VA 22911
800-466-8722 or 434-295-8722 Office
sofhia@vsba.org, www.vsba.org 

 

2026 VA Senate and House Finance Committees Release their Budget Amendment Reports

The Virginia Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee and the House Finance Committee released their proposed committee budget amendments for FY26-FY28. 

To view the K-12 Budget overview from the House Appropriations Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee report, click here. The House Appropriations Committee Staff presented a compiled slide deck of the budget amendment recommendations to HB30. The report included an overview of the proposed budget amendments going towards public education, click here to view.

To view the Budget overview from the Senate Finance and Appropriations Education Subcommittee report, click here.

The Senate Finance and Appropriation’s Subcommittee on Education report is available here. The report also included key highlights and features on SB30 in addition to public education expenses, click here to view.

The Virginia House and Senate’s approved committee budget amendments were released on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. The House committee approved budget amendments contains slightly different operating expenses than those outlined on the Senate’s committee approved budget amendments.

Sofhia Pineda
Government Relations Specialist
Virginia School Boards Association
200 Hansen Road, Suite 2
Charlottesville, VA 22911
800-466-8722 or 434-295-8722 Office
sofhia@vsba.org, www.vsba.org 

Post Virginia General Assembly Crossover 2026

Post Virginia General Assembly Crossover 2026

The Virginia Senate and House chambers concluded their floor calendars on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. All bills reported from committee and passed in each respective floor have now been sent over to the opposite chamber for passage before heading to the governor’s office.

This year, more bills survived the halfway point of session and are now crossing over to be considered outside of their original chamber. The Virginia House and Senate may now only consider bills passed on the chamber of origin.

The Virginia Senate introduced a total of 808 bills at the start of the 2026 session and have now passed 496 bills to the House. The Virginia House of Delegates introduced a total of 1,520 bills and passed a total of 841 bills.

The VSBA Government Relations team continues to work rigorously with state legislators and stakeholders as passed bills are now being heard in their assigned committees.

 

Sofhia Pineda
Government Relations Specialist
Virginia School Boards Association
200 Hansen Road, Suite 2
Charlottesville, VA 22911
800-466-8722 or 434-295-8722 Office
sofhia@vsba.org, www.vsba.org