Education - Higher Education Subcommittee Agenda

Chair: Sewell, Briana

Meeting Date & Time: 01/27/2026 04:00 PM Add to Calendar

Location: House Committee Room C - 206

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Additional Resource(s):

Active item: Meeting Adjourned

Video: Archived

Committee Clerk: (804) 698-1945 - Sam Fidler, Clerk

DLS Contact: (804) 698 - 1820 - Ryan Brimmer, Attorney

Block 1

Bill(s) Patron Title
HB85 Laufer Va.-specific postsecondary transition counselor certificate program; development and establishment.

Summary: A BILL to require the State Council of Higher Education to develop and establish a Virginia-specific postsecondary transition counselor certificate program.

Fiscal Impact

Subcommittee recommends continuing to (Voice Vote)

Last actions:

  • 1/23/2026 - Placed on Education Agenda
  • 1/26/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB85)
  • 1/27/2026 - Subcommittee recommends continuing to (Voice Vote)
  • 1/27/2026 - Placed on Education Agenda
  • 1/28/2026 - Continued to next session in Education (Voice Vote)

Higher Education

Subcommittee recommends continuing to (Voice Vote)

HB131 Simon Higher educational institutions; reasonable accommodations for religious beliefs, etc.

Summary: A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 23.1-401.4, relating to public institutions of higher education; reasonable accommodations for the religious beliefs and practices of individual students.

Fiscal Impact

Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N)

Yeas (9): Sewell, Clark, Laufer, Dougherty, Bulova, Tata, Scott, P.A., Garrett, Rasoul

Not Voting (2): McQuinn, LeVere Bolling

Last actions:

  • 1/28/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB131)
  • 1/30/2026 - Read first time
  • 2/2/2026 - Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar
  • 2/2/2026 - Read second time and engrossed
  • 2/3/2026 - Read third time and passed House (94-Y 2-N 0-A)

Senate Committee Actions:

• 2/27/2026 - Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

• 2/27/2026 - Passed by for the day

• 3/2/2026 - Read third time

• 3/2/2026 - Read third time

• 3/2/2026 - Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

Higher Education

Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N)

HB383 Bennett-Parker SCHEV; exemption of certain courses and programs of instruction from certification requirement.

Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 23.1-226 of the Code of Virginia, relating to State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; exemption of certain courses and programs of instruction from certification requirement.

Fiscal Impact

Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 1-N)

Yeas (9): Clark, Laufer, LeVere Bolling, Dougherty, Bulova, Tata, Scott, P.A., Garrett, Rasoul

Nays (1): Sewell

Not Voting (1): McQuinn

Last actions:

  • 1/27/2026 - Placed on Education Agenda
  • 1/28/2026 - Reported from Education (20-Y 1-N)
  • 1/30/2026 - Read first time
  • 2/2/2026 - Read second time and engrossed
  • 2/3/2026 - Read third time and passed House (95-Y 3-N 0-A)

Senate Committee Actions:

• 2/27/2026 - Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

• 2/27/2026 - Passed by for the day

• 2/27/2026 - Passed by for the day

• 3/2/2026 - Read third time

• 3/2/2026 - Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

Higher Education

Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 1-N)

HB401 Askew Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; powers of the board.

Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 23.1-3218 of the Code of Virginia, relating to public institutions of higher education; other educational and cultural institutions; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; powers of the board.

Fiscal Impact

Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N)

Yeas (10): Sewell, Clark, Laufer, LeVere Bolling, Dougherty, Bulova, Tata, Scott, P.A., Garrett, Rasoul

Not Voting (1): McQuinn

Last actions:

  • 1/27/2026 - Placed on Education Agenda
  • 1/28/2026 - Reported from Education (21-Y 0-N)
  • 1/30/2026 - Read first time
  • 2/2/2026 - Read second time and engrossed
  • 2/3/2026 - Read third time and passed House (98-Y 0-N 0-A)

Senate Committee Actions:

• 3/2/2026 - Committee amendment agreed to (Voice Vote)

• 3/2/2026 - Engrossed by Senate as amended

• 3/2/2026 - Engrossed by Senate as amended

• 3/2/2026 - Engrossed by Senate as amended

• 3/2/2026 - Passed Senate with amendment Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

Higher Education

Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N)

HB427 LeVere Bolling Uniform, comprehensive data information system; info on self-identified students who are parents.

Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 23.1-203 of the Code of Virginia, relating to State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; uniform, comprehensive data information system; information on self-identified students who are parents.

Fiscal Impact

Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N)

Yeas (9): Sewell, Clark, Laufer, LeVere Bolling, Dougherty, Bulova, Tata, Scott, P.A., Garrett

Not Voting (1): McQuinn

Last actions:

  • 1/27/2026 - Placed on Education Agenda
  • 1/28/2026 - Reported from Education (20-Y 1-N)
  • 1/30/2026 - Read first time
  • 2/2/2026 - Read second time and engrossed
  • 2/3/2026 - Read third time and passed House (97-Y 0-N 0-A)

Senate Committee Actions:

• 2/27/2026 - Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)

• 2/27/2026 - Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

• 2/27/2026 - Passed by for the day

• 3/2/2026 - Read third time

• 3/2/2026 - Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

Higher Education

Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N)

HB436 LeVere Bolling Higher educational institutions, public; tuition and mandatory fees charged to Virginia students.

Summary: A BILL to establish certain requirements relating to tuition and mandatory fees charged to Virginia students at public institutions of higher education.

Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (6-Y 3-N)

Yeas (6): Sewell, Clark, Laufer, Dougherty, Bulova, Tata

Nays (3): LeVere Bolling, Garrett, Rasoul

Not Voting (2): McQuinn, Scott, P.A.

Last actions:

  • 1/12/2026 - Committee Referral Pending
  • 1/12/2026 - Referred to Committee on Education
  • 1/23/2026 - Assigned HED sub: Higher Education
  • 1/23/2026 - Placed on Education Agenda
  • 1/27/2026 - Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (6-Y 3-N)

Higher Education

Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (6-Y 3-N)

HB990 Garrett Virginia Higher Education Scholarship Act Fund and Program; created and established.

Summary: A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 6 of Title 23.1 an article numbered 2.1, consisting of sections numbered 23.1-616.1 through 23.1-616.5, and by adding in Chapter 13 of Title 23.1 a section numbered 23.1-1311, relating to certain public institutions of higher education; enrollment limitations in incoming freshman classes; Virginia Higher Education Scholarship Act Fund and Program established.

Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (6-Y 2-N)

Yeas (6): Sewell, Clark, Laufer, LeVere Bolling, Dougherty, Bulova

Nays (2): Tata, Garrett

Not Voting (2): McQuinn, Scott, P.A.

Last actions:

  • 1/13/2026 - Committee Referral Pending
  • 1/13/2026 - Referred to Committee on Education
  • 1/23/2026 - Assigned HED sub: Higher Education
  • 1/23/2026 - Placed on Education Agenda
  • 1/27/2026 - Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (6-Y 2-N)

Higher Education

Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (6-Y 2-N)