RICHMOND, VA – Governor Spanberger signed 14 bipartisan bills introduced by House Democrats to support the health and well-being of students and boost the quality of Virginia’s public schools. These new laws fill gaps in Virginia’s public education system and enable students to learn at the best of their abilities and thrive at school.
“When students are hungry, unable to access necessary programs and resources, or are not supported by teachers and staff, their chances of success plummet,” said the Virginia House Democratic Caucus. “It’s our responsibility to ensure students are set up for learning and success in Virginia’s public school systems – the bills signed into law today bring us closer to accomplishing that goal.”
Governor Spanberger signed the following bills into law to strengthen schools and support students:
- HB332 (Delegate Sam Rasoul) – Making it easier to get career and technical education teachers into the classroom. Passed unanimously.
- HB544 (Delegate Alex Askew) – 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) – 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) – Strengthening the administration of Standards of Learning assessments. Passed with bipartisan support.
- HB206 (Delegate Karen Keys-Gamarra). Giving parents additional information about administration of college partnership laboratory schools. Passed with bipartisan support.
- HB1486 (Delegate Sam Rasoul) – Instructing students on the addictive potential of electronic devices. Passed with bipartisan support.
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) – 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.
- HB1301 (Delegate Josh Thomas) – Supporting students with diabetes. Passed unanimously.