Higher Ed Subcommittee

Wednesday, February 4, 2026·49m·▶ Watch / Listen

The Higher Education Subcommittee tabled two broadly supported bills — a physician workforce loan program (HB 663) and a private college preservation fund (HB 522), both 5-2 — while unanimously advancing a VCU Health System governance bill (HB 1040) and striking two other bills from the docket, with fiscal uncertainty and federal budget concerns driving the majority's decisions.

Key Actions

·HB 522 – Virginia Private College Preservation and Maintenance FundFailed

+ 2 more actions

Controversies

HB 522 — Fiscal constraints versus private college preservation needs

A committee member (name unclear from transcript) argued the bill 'would have a substantial fiscal impact, especially during this kind of budget uncertainty that we're dealing with because of cuts from the federal level' and that the committee needed to focus 'limited capital dollars' on public universities, while Tony O. Wilt and Chris Peace had argued the bill was 'a modest, narrowly tailored program' filling a critical gap that neither private banking nor philanthropy could meet.

+ 2 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“I carry $425,000 of student debt at a 9% interest rate. Unfortunately, I am not alone. The cost of medical school has nearly doubled in the last two decades. And that level of debt pushes students away from the primary care and pediatric specialties our communities need most.”
Jake Mikesell, class president of VCU class of 2026 — Testifying in support of HB 663, a proposed program that would allow medical students to borrow up to $50,000 per year from the state in exchange for practicing in high-needs specialties in rural or underserved areas.

+ 4 more quotes

Votes

Strike HB 471 from the docketNo Vote

Lay HB 522 on the tableFailed

Adopt amendment to HB 663Passed

Lay HB 663 on the tableFailed

Report HB 1040No Vote

Strike HB 1085 from the docketNo Vote

Lay HB 1354 on the tableNo Vote

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TranscriptPreview

Appropriations Committee meeting, Subcommittee of Higher Education first. We'll take the roll, please. We have a quorum and I'm going to turn it over to our analyst, Mr. Maggio. Thank you. Madam Chair, the first bill is House Bill 471. The patron has requested that the bill be stricken. So moved. Second clerk will open the roll. HB 471 is stricken from the docket. The next bill, Madam Chair, is House Bill 522. This is Delegate Willits bill. See the delegate here. The bill itself would establish the Virginia Private College Preservation and Maintenance Fund and program. It would be administered by the State Council. Collaborating. Well, delegate, while it is here. That's good. Europe. Thank you, Madam Chair. Too many agriculture bills this morning, but we're making progress. That's good. We're going to go to 522. Madam Chair, members of the committee, thank you for your time this morning. This is a bill that I've been working on with the private colleges. And I think where we all have common ground is recognized. And we have an amazing set of public and private universities in Virginia and we do our best to take care of all of them. Obviously,…

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