The People's Ledger
← All Virginia bills

HB836Introduced in the House of Delegates

Public schools; right to free public elementary and secondary education, discrimination, etc.

Passed

Introduced by Sam Rasoul, District 38

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

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. 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.

Where it stands

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0680)

April 13, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

House of Delegates votes

5 recorded votes · each counted separately

Senate votes

5 recorded votes · each counted separately

SenateStage: Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) · March 13, 2026

21

Yes

18

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.

See how each senator voted

SenatorDistrictVote
Elizabeth Bennett-Parker5Yes
Michael Jones77Yes
Timmy French1No
Mark Obenshain2No
Chris Head3No
David Suetterlein4No
Travis Hackworth5No
Todd Pillion6No
William Stanley7No
Mark Peake8No

Bill history

  1. Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104919D

  2. Referred to Committee on Education

  3. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB836)

  4. Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee

  5. House subcommittee offered

  6. Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N)

  7. Incorporates HB912 (Lopez)

  8. Reported from Education with substitute (14-Y 7-N)

  9. Committee substitute printed 26107335D-H1

  10. Read first time

  11. Read second time

  12. committee substitute agreed to

  13. Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  14. Read third time and passed House (61-Y 34-N 0-A)

  15. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  16. Referred to Committee on Education and Health

  17. Reported from Education and Health with substitute (9-Y 6-N)

  18. Rules suspended

  19. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)

  20. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  21. Committee substitute printed 26108790D-S1

  22. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB836)

  23. Read third time

  24. Education and Health Substitute agreed to

  25. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  26. Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  27. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB836)

  28. Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 95-N 0-A)

  29. Senate insisted on amendments (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  30. Senate requested conference committee

  31. House acceded to request

  32. Conferees appointed by House

  33. House Conferees: Rasoul, Cousins, Runion

  34. Conferees appointed by Senate

  35. Senate Conferees: Pekarsky, Favola, Craig

  36. Conference Report released

  37. Conference report agreed to by House (62-Y 34-N 0-A)

  38. Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)

  39. Enrolled

  40. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB836ER)

  41. Signed by President

  42. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB836)

  43. Signed by Speaker

  44. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  45. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  46. Approved by Governor-Chapter 680 (effective 7/1/2026)

  47. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0680)

Verify the information

Our commitment to neutrality

We provide factual information only. We never tell you which politicians or bills to support, and we do not rank, score, or endorse anyone.