SB299Introduced in the Senate
New College Institute; reconstitution of Institute as West Piedmont Higher Education Center, etc.
Introduced by Kannan Srinivasan, District 32
What does this bill do?
Plain-English breakdown
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Official description
New College Institute; name; membership and composition of board of directors. Renames New College Institute as the West Piedmont Higher Education Center (the Center) and makes several revisions to the membership requirements for the board of directors of the Center, including (i) increasing from 15 to 20 members the total membership of the board of directors; (ii) modifying the composition of the board of directors by adding as required members the Executive Director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia or his designee, the Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System or his designee, and the presidents of George Mason University, Longwood University, Radford University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and Virginia State University or their designees; (iii) reducing from 10 to seven the total number of nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Governor and requiring five of such nonlegislative citizen members to be representatives of West Piedmont public education and area business and industry, including one division superintendent, one public school teacher, and three business and industry leaders; and (iv) adding the president of Patrick & Henry Community College or his designee to serve as an ex officio nonvoting member. The bill also requires the board of directors of the Center, in collaboration with representatives of GO Virginia Region 3, the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, Patrick & Henry Community College, local school boards, and major regional employers, to develop a sustainability plan, including a comprehensive strategic plan and customer recruitment and expansion strategy, to provide higher education degree and certification programs in accordance with its mission, to review options to achieve the goals stated in such plan, and to report on such options to the Governor, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, and the Chair of the House Committee on Appropriations no later than August 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 430.
Where it stands
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0610)
April 13, 2026
How did lawmakers vote?
House of Delegates votes
3 recorded votes · each counted separately
Senate votes
5 recorded votes · each counted separately
SenateStage: House substitute agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · March 10, 2026
40
Yes
0
No
0
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
| 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 | Yes |
| 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 26103457D
Referred to Committee on Education and Health
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB299)
Assigned Education sub: Higher Education
Reported from Education and Health (15-Y 0-N)
Rules suspended
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (36-Y 0-N 0-A)
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Read second time
Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Rules suspended
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
Placed on Calendar
Read first time
Referred to Committee on Education
Assigned HED sub: Higher Education
House subcommittee offered
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 2-N)
House committee offered
Reported from Education with substitute (18-Y 3-N)
Committee substitute printed 26108795D-H1
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB299)
Read second time
Read third time
committee substitute agreed to
Engrossed by House - committee substitute
Passed House with substitute (92-Y 5-N 0-A)
House substitute agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Enrolled
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB299ER)
Signed by President
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB299)
Signed by Speaker
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Approved by Governor-Chapter 610 (effective 7/1/2026)
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0610)
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