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SB685Introduced in the Senate

School bd. policies; communication & language accessibility for limited English proficient parents.

Passed

Introduced by Stella Pekarsky, District 36

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

School boards; language access plan for limited English proficient parents. Requires each school board to develop, implement, and post in a publicly accessible location on its website a language access plan consisting of policies and procedures designed to ensure meaningful communication with and informational accessibility for limited English proficient (LEP) parents, as that term is defined in the bill. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 1278.

Where it stands

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0765)

April 13, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

House of Delegates votes

4 recorded votes · each counted separately

Senate votes

7 recorded votes · each counted separately

House of DelegatesStage: Conference report agreed to by House (64-Y 33-N 0-A) · March 14, 2026

64

Yes

33

No

2

Absent or Not Voting

99 delegates recorded in this House of Delegates vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.

See how each delegate voted

DelegateDistrictVote
Patrick Hope1Yes
Adele McClure2Yes
Alfonso Lopez3Yes
Charniele Herring4Yes
Kirk McPike5Yes
Richard Sullivan6Yes
Karen Keys-Gamarra7Yes
Irene Shin8Yes
Karrie Delaney9Yes
Dan Helmer10Yes

Bill history

  1. Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104840D

  2. Referred to Committee on Education and Health

  3. Assigned Education sub: Public Education

  4. Senate subcommittee offered

  5. Senate committee offered

  6. Reported from Education and Health with amendments and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N 1-A)

  7. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB685)

  8. Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)

  9. Rules suspended

  10. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

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

  12. Read second time

  13. Education and Health Amendments agreed to

  14. Engrossed by Senate as amended (Voice Vote)

  15. Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  16. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB685)

  17. Placed on Calendar

  18. Read first time

  19. Referred to Committee on Education

  20. Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 3-N)

  21. Reported from Education with substitute (15-Y 7-N)

  22. Committee substitute printed 26108227D-H1

  23. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB685)

  24. Read second time

  25. Read third time

  26. committee substitute agreed to

  27. Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  28. Passed House with substitute (66-Y 33-N 0-A)

  29. House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A)

  30. House insisted on substitute

  31. House requested conference committee

  32. Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  33. Conferees appointed by Senate

  34. Senate Conferees: Pekarsky, Favola, Craig

  35. Conferees appointed by House

  36. House Conferees: Reaser, Cohen, Tata

  37. Conference report agreed to by Senate (25-Y 14-N 0-A)

  38. Conference Report released

  39. Conference report agreed to by House (64-Y 33-N 0-A)

  40. Enrolled

  41. Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB685ER)

  42. Signed by President

  43. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB685)

  44. Signed by Speaker

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

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

  47. Approved by Governor-Chapter 765 (Effective 7/1/2027)

  48. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0765)

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