House K‑12 Committee advances multiple education bills; HB 1656 reversed on reconsideration

The Virginia House K‑12 Committee, chaired by Chair Simons, reported and in many cases referred a slate of education bills to the Appropriations Committee and the full House. The committee advanced measures on student‑athlete heat‑illness guidelines, bleeding‑control programs in schools, translation of assessments for English learners and a pilot program for firearm‑detection software in schools. One bill, HB 1656, initially failed on an electronic roll call but was reconsidered and later reported out.

Why it matters: The bills the committee advanced affect school safety protocols, services for English language learners, enrollment rules for military families and the state’s school funding formulas. Several items were sent to Appropriations, where cost and implementation details will be examined before the full House considers them.

Votes at a glance

- HB 1656 (from Delegate Helmer) — would prohibit certain recruitment practices in high school athletics. The committee first voted to fail the bill 10 to 11 on the electronic board; Delegate Cohen moved to reconsider, the motion carried, and on reconsideration the bill reported 11 to 10. Outcome: reported to the committee file (reconsideration recorded). Note: the transcript shows an initial electronic vote of 10–11, a successful motion to reconsider by Delegate Cohen, and a subsequent vote of 11–10.

- HB 1663 (from Delegate Jones) — requires the Board of Education to develop guidelines on the prevention and management of heat illness in student athletes. Committee recommendation: report and refer to Appropriations; final roll call reported 16 to 5.

- HB 1674 (from "Delegate Lawfirm" on the transcript) — directs the Board of Education to exempt certain accreditation requirements for professional education programs; subcommittee recommended reporting with substitute (7 to 1). Committee roll call: bill reported 14 to 7.

- HB 1678 (from Delegate Cohen) — concerns parental notification and safe storage of prescription drugs and firearms in the household; subcommittee recommended reporting 8 to 0. Committee roll call: bill reported 14 to 7.

- HB 1679 (from Delegate Cohen) — would make standards of learning assessments available in commonly spoken native languages for English language learners. Subcommittee recommended reporting and referring to Appropriations 6 to 2; the transcript records the motion to report and refer but does not specify the final roll call tally in the provided excerpt (vote tally not specified in transcript).

- HB 1700 (from Delegate Clark) — requires school boards to develop and implement a bleeding control program in public elementary and secondary schools. Subcommittee recommended reporting and referring to Appropriations with substitute (6 to 0). Committee roll call: house bill reported 13 to 8.

- HB 1740 (from Delegate Reid) — would add Randolph‑Macon Academy to the list of institutions whose officers are commissioned officers of the Virginia State Militia. Subcommittee recommended reporting 8 to 0; committee roll call: 21 to 0.

- HB 1806 (from Delegate Cohen) — requires an emergency plan be included in individualized education programs (IEPs) for public school students with a disability; subcommittee recommended reporting with substitute 8 to 0; committee roll call: 21 to 0.

- HB 1818 (from Delegate Reid) — adds a school safety firearm detection software pilot to the Public School Security Equipment Grant Act; subcommittee recommended reporting and referring to Appropriations with amendments 8 to 0. Committee roll call recorded as 20–1 (transcript reads "20 one‑zero"). Outcome: reported and referred to Appropriations with amendments.

- HB 1829 (from Delegate Simons) — establishes programs and policies to improve mathematics instruction and outcomes; subcommittee recommended reporting and referring 5 to 3. Committee roll call: reported and referred to Appropriations 11 to 10.

- HB 1831 (from Delegate Simons) — lifts a support‑staff cap and requires the Department of Education to examine support cost spending shares; subcommittee recommended reporting and referring 5 to 3. Committee roll call: 11 to 10.

- HB 1880 (from Delegate Sewell) — requires previous school divisions to facilitate prompt comparable special education services for certain military children with disabilities; subcommittee recommended reporting 8 to 0. Committee roll call: 21 to 0.

- HB 1881 (from Delegate Sewell) — permits school boards to enroll students whose parent is a full‑time active‑duty member of the uniformed services even if the student does not reside in the division; recommended reporting with substitute 8 to 0. Committee roll call: 21 to 0.

- HB 1909 (from Delegate Kent) — establishes the Virginia Commission for Agricultural Education Excellence; subcommittee recommended reporting and referring to Appropriations 8 to 0. Committee roll call: 21 to 0.

- HB 1910 (from Delegate Kent) — would prohibit public schools from offering school meals that contain any of seven specified color additives; the bill includes a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. Subcommittee recommended reporting with amendment 8 to 0; committee roll call recorded as 20–1–0 with amendments.

- HB 1950 / HB 1915 (transcript shows both forms) (from Delegate Reeser/Reiser) — the transcript includes an item on written notice of non‑continuation of continuing teacher contracts (deadline June 15). The subcommittee recommendation and committee roll call were recorded as a motion to report; the transcript records a final vote of 11 to 10 for the listed item (transcript contains inconsistent bill numbering; vote tally associated with the item in the excerpt is 11 to 10; details not fully specified).

- HB 1945 (from Delegate Reeser) — directs school boards to consider permitting telehealth services on school property with parental consent; subcommittee recommended reporting and referring to Appropriations with amendment (7 to 0). Committee roll call: reported and referred 13 to 8 with amendment.

- HB 1983 (transcript: "HB 19 83") — requires each school board annually collect and submit to the Department of Education a report on average salaries of support service personnel; subcommittee recommended reporting 7 to 0; the committee roll call recorded 21 to 0.

- HB 2032 (from Delegate Reiser) — adds state funding formula add‑ons to support English language learner students; subcommittee recommended reporting and referring to Appropriations 5 to 2. Committee roll call reported and referred to Appropriations 12 to 9.

What the committee did not do

Many of the items recorded were procedural reports or referrals to Appropriations; the transcript excerpt does not show floor debate on underlying policy merits for most bills. Where the transcript records only a subcommittee recommendation and a motion to report, the committee followed parliamentary procedure to open and close the roll and record the outcome.

Additional notes and next steps

Chair Simons closed the K‑12 docket and announced an early‑childhood subcommittee docket would convene immediately upon adjournment. The committee adjourned after the reported items. Matters sent to Appropriations will await fiscal review before advancing to the full House.