Subcommittee advances bill to let at‑risk add‑on funds pay for licensed school health staff
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Summary
A Virginia joint subcommittee reported House Bill 1 95 to expand permitted uses of at‑risk add‑on funds to support students' physical and mental health — including certain licensed nursing positions — after supporters from the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy and the Virginia Association of Counties spoke in favor.
A joint subcommittee on elementary and secondary education reported House Bill 1 95 after brief public testimony supporting the measure.
The bill would add to the list of eligible uses for at‑risk add‑on funds initiatives to support students’ physical and mental health, including several specified licensed nursing positions. Committee staff (identified in the transcript as Zach) said the proposal expands allowable uses of existing at‑risk funding to include health‑focused positions and programs.
Catherine Haines of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy told the committee the idea grew from lessons during the COVID‑19 pandemic, saying, "health and education had to walk hand in hand," and thanked members for considering the change. Jeremy Bennett of the Virginia Association of Counties also spoke in favor and said counties appreciated the local flexibility the bill provides.
A member moved to report the bill and the clerk opened a recorded roll. The transcript records the committee announcing the bill had been reported out; the clerk’s announced tally appears in the record as '6 to 0' in one place and as a garbled '7 7 to 0' elsewhere in the transcript. The transcript does not provide a clean, unambiguous recorded vote list by member.
The transcript does not state the next procedural step for HB 1 95 beyond being reported by the subcommittee.