VirginiaPublic schools; right to free public elementary and secondary education, discrimination, etc.
What it does
Public schools; right to free public elementary and secondary education; discrimination based on immigration status prohibited; civil cause of action. Prohibits any child in the Commonwealth from being denied a free public education through secondary school on the basis of the actual or perceived immigration or citizenship status of the child or the child's parents, in accordance with the Constitution of Virginia and consistent with the requirements of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The bill also, among other things, prohibits any school board, public elementary or secondary school, school resource officer employed by a local law-enforcement agency in any public elementary or secondary school, or any individual who is an employee, contractor, or agent of a school board from engaging in certain enumerated actions and practices that involve or result in the denial of a free public education, or denial of the benefits or exclusion from participation in any program or activity thereof, of a child on the basis of the actual or perceived immigration or citizenship status of the child or the child's parents.
More detail
The bill establishes a civil cause of action for violations of the foregoing prohibitions. The bill requires the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General, to develop and make available to each school board by August 1, 2026, guidance and resources on developing policies and procedures to implement the requirements set forth in the bill and requires each school board to develop and implement by December 31, 2026, such policies and procedures and to require each public elementary and secondary school principal and administrator in the school division to complete training on compliance with the provisions of the bill as soon as is practicable but not later than the beginning of the 2027–2028 school year, consistent with the guidance and resources developed and made available by the Department of Education. This bill incorporates HB 912 and is identical to SB 491.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 13Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0680)Latest
- Apr 13Approved by Governor Abigail Spanberger-Chapter 680 (effective 7/1/2026)Became Law
- Mar 31Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026To Governor
- Mar 31Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026Minor
- Mar 31Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 31Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB836)
- Mar 30Signed by PresidentMajor
- Mar 30Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB836ER)Major
- Mar 30EnrolledMinor
- Mar 13Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)Minor
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Adopt Conference Committee Report R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 13Conference report agreed to by House (62-Y 34-N 0-A)Minor
- Mar 12Conference Report released
- Mar 10Senate Conferees: Pekarsky, Favola, Craig
- Mar 10Conferees appointed by Senate
- Mar 10House Conferees: Rasoul, Cousins, Runion
- Mar 10Conferees appointed by House
- Mar 9House acceded to request
- Mar 6Senate requested conference committeeMinor
- Vote recorded Insist & Request R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 6Senate insisted on amendments (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Mar 4Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 95-N 0-A)
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: fail.Lower
- Mar 4Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB836)
- Mar 2Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Passage R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 2Engrossed by Senate - committee substituteMajor
- Mar 2Education and Health Substitute agreed to
- Mar 2Read third timeMinor
- Mar 2Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB836)
- Feb 27Committee substitute printed 26108790D-S1Major
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 27Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- Feb 27Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Feb 27Rules suspended
- Feb 26Reported from Education and Health with substitute (9-Y 6-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Education and Health with substitute. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 18Referred to Committee on Education and HealthMinor
- Feb 18Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- Feb 17Read third time and passed House (61-Y 34-N 0-A)Passed House
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 16Engrossed by House - committee substituteMajor
- Feb 16committee substitute agreed toMajor
- Feb 16Read second timeMinor
- Feb 13Read first timeMinor
- Feb 11Committee substitute printed 26107335D-H1Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Education with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 11Reported from Education with substitute (14-Y 7-N)Minor
- Feb 11Incorporates HB912 (Lopez)
- Feb 10Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N)Major
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 10House subcommittee offered
- Feb 5Assigned HED sub: K-12 SubcommitteeMinor
- Jan 29Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB836)
- Jan 13Referred to Committee on EducationMinor
- Jan 13Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104919DIntroduced