Virginia bills · 2026 Regular Session
Virginia HB 1278
School bd. policies; communication & language accessibility for limited English proficient parents.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became law
Sponsors
- Atoosa R. Reaser (Democratic)
Cosponsors (5)
- Saddam Azlan Salim (Democratic)
- Irene Shin (Democratic)
- May Nivar (Democratic)
- Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler (Democratic)
- Laura Jane Cohen (Democratic)
Summary
Official abstract published by the Virginia legislature· SUMMARY AS PASSED
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 SB 685.
Text versions
- Introduced
- Education Amendment
- Elementary & Secondary Education Subcommittee Substitute
- Appropriations Substitute
- Education and Health Substitute
- Conference Report
- Enrolled
Roll-call votes
State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 4:19 PM.
| Date | Vote | Result | Your legislators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 13, 2026 Senate | Adopt Conference Committee Report R | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 13, 2026 House | H VOTE: | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 27, 2026 Senate | Insist & Request R | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 25, 2026 House | H VOTE: | fail | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 23, 2026 Senate | Passage R | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 20, 2026 Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 19, 2026 Senate | Reported from Education and Health with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 13, 2026 House | H VOTE: | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 9, 2026 House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 9, 2026 House | Reported from Appropriations with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 4, 2026 House | Reported from Education with amendment(s) | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 3, 2026 House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
Actions
- Apr 13, 2026
Approved by Governor-Chapter 764 (effective 7/1/2026) - Mar 31, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 - Mar 31, 2026 · House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 - Mar 31, 2026 · House
Signed by Speaker - Mar 30, 2026 · Senate
Signed by President - Mar 30, 2026 · House
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1278ER) - Mar 30, 2026 · House
Enrolled - Mar 13, 2026 · Senate
Conference report agreed to by Senate (23-Y 15-N 0-A) - Mar 13, 2026 · House
Conference report agreed to by House (64-Y 30-N 0-A) - Mar 13, 2026 · Legislature
Conference Report released - Mar 13, 2026 · Legislature
Conference Report released - Mar 4, 2026 · Senate
Senate Conferees: Pekarsky, VanValkenburg, Head - Mar 4, 2026 · Senate
Conferees appointed by Senate - Mar 4, 2026 · House
House Conferees: Reaser, Cohen, Tata - Mar 4, 2026 · House
Conferees appointed by House - Mar 2, 2026 · House
House acceded to request - Feb 27, 2026 · Senate
Senate requested conference committee - Feb 27, 2026 · Senate
Senate insisted on substitute (39-Y 0-N 0-A) - Feb 25, 2026 · House
Senate substitute rejected by House (1-Y 95-N 0-A) - Feb 23, 2026 · Senate
Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (38-Y 0-N 0-A) - Feb 23, 2026 · Senate
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute - Feb 23, 2026 · Senate
Education and Health Substitute agreed to - Feb 23, 2026 · Senate
Read third time - Feb 23, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1278) - Feb 20, 2026 · Senate
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote) - Feb 20, 2026 · Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) - Feb 20, 2026 · Senate
Rules suspended - Feb 19, 2026 · Senate
Committee substitute printed 26108246D-S1 - Feb 19, 2026 · Senate
Senate committee offered - Feb 19, 2026 · Senate
Reported from Education and Health with substitute (15-Y 0-N) - Feb 16, 2026 · Senate
Referred to Committee on Education and Health - Feb 16, 2026 · Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) - Feb 16, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1278) - Feb 13, 2026 · House
Read third time and passed House (62-Y 33-N 0-A) - Feb 12, 2026 · House
Engrossed by House - committee substitute - Feb 12, 2026 · House
committee substitute agreed to - Feb 12, 2026 · House
committee amendments rejected - Feb 12, 2026 · House
Read second time - Feb 11, 2026 · House
Read first time - Feb 9, 2026 · House
Committee substitute printed 26107411D-H1 - Feb 9, 2026 · House
Reported from Appropriations with substitute (16-Y 6-N) - Feb 9, 2026 · House
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 2-N) - Feb 9, 2026 · House
House subcommittee offered - Feb 4, 2026 · House
Assigned HAPP sub: Elementary & Secondary Education - Feb 4, 2026 · House
Reported from Education with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 6-N) - Feb 3, 2026 · House
Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N) - Feb 3, 2026 · House
House subcommittee offered - Feb 3, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1278) - Feb 2, 2026 · House
Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee - Jan 14, 2026 · House
Referred to Committee on Education - Jan 14, 2026 · House
Presented and ordered printed 26104939D