HB131Introduced in the House of Delegates
Higher educational institutions, public; reasonable accommodations for religious beliefs, etc.
Introduced by Marcus Simon, District 13
What does this bill do?
Plain-English breakdown
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Official description
Public institutions of higher education; reasonable accommodations for the religious beliefs and practices of individual students. Requires each public institution of higher education to provide reasonable accommodations, as defined in the bill, for the religious beliefs and practices of individual students with regard to admissions, class attendance, and the scheduling of examinations and work assignments and to provide and describe in the institution's student handbook or an equivalent document and in the institution's faculty handbook or an equivalent document a grievance procedure for any student to seek redress when the student believes that he has been unreasonably denied such reasonable accommodations for his religious beliefs and practices.
Where it stands
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0074)
April 6, 2026
How did lawmakers vote?
House of Delegates votes
3 recorded votes · each counted separately
Senate votes
3 recorded votes · each counted separately
SenateStage: Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A) · March 2, 2026
39
Yes
0
No
1
Absent or Not Voting
40 senators recorded in this Senate vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.
What do people think?
Citizen Voice
How would you vote on this bill?
An unofficial public opinion poll. It does not affect the bill or the official vote.
One response per device. Location is self-reported and not verified. Results are informal and not a scientific survey.
See how each senator voted
| Senator | District | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Bennett-Parker | 5 | Yes |
| Michael Jones | 77 | Yes |
| Timmy French | 1 | Yes |
| Mark Obenshain | 2 | Yes |
| Chris Head | 3 | Yes |
| David Suetterlein | 4 | Absent |
| Travis Hackworth | 5 | Yes |
| Todd Pillion | 6 | Yes |
| William Stanley | 7 | Yes |
| Mark Peake | 8 | Yes |
Bill history
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104369D
Referred to Committee on Education
Assigned HED sub: Higher Education
Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N)
Reported from Education (21-Y 0-N)
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB131)
Read first time
Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar
Read second time and engrossed
Read third time and passed House (94-Y 2-N 0-A)
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
Referred to Committee on Education and Health
Assigned Education sub: Higher Education
Reported from Education and Health (13-Y 0-N 2-A)
Rules suspended
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Read third time
Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
Enrolled
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB131ER)
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB131)
Signed by Speaker
Signed by President
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Approved by Governor-Chapter 74 (effective 7/1/2026)
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0074)
Verify the information
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