HB721Introduced in the House of Delegates
Parents of public school children; fundamental right to opt children out of certain ed. content.
Introduced by Eric Zehr, District 51
What does this bill do?
Plain-English breakdown
Writing a plain-English summary of this bill… this can take a few seconds the first time.
Official description
Parents of public school children; fundamental right to opt children out of certain educational content. Provides that parents of public school children have the fundamental right to opt their children out, without penalty, of any instruction, reading, discussion, presentation, including any audio-visual presentation, school assembly, or activity that includes any gender identity, sexual orientation, transgenderism, or drag show theme or content, and the school shall make reasonable accommodations during such opt-out period.
Where it stands
Left in Education
February 18, 2026
How did lawmakers vote?
House of DelegatesStage: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (7-Y 3-N) · February 10, 2026
7
Yes
3
No
1
Absent or Not Voting
11 delegates recorded in this House of Delegates 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 delegate voted
| Delegate | District | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Gretchen Bulova | 11 | Yes |
| Sam Rasoul | 38 | Yes |
| Hillary Pugh Kent | 67 | No |
| Shelly Simonds | 70 | Yes |
| Jessica Anderson | 71 | Yes |
| Mike Cherry | 74 | No |
| Lindsey Dougherty | 75 | Absent |
| Rae Cousins | 79 | Yes |
| Destiny LeVere Bolling | 80 | Yes |
| Alex Askew | 95 | Yes |
Bill history
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103884D
Referred to Committee on Education
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB721)
Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee
House subcommittee offered
Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (7-Y 3-N)
Left in Education
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