Early Childhood Subcommittee

Wednesday, February 4, 2026·48m·▶ Watch / Listen

Virginia's Early Childhood Subcommittee advanced six bills covering fine arts diploma seals, teacher contract due process, higher education data reporting, anti-bullying resources, Stop the Bleed training as a graduation requirement, and a child care funding methodology — with three bills referred to Appropriations and one drawing opposition from school boards and superintendents over mandates and funding concerns.

Key Actions

·HB478 – Fine Arts Diploma SealNo Vote

+ 5 more actions

Controversies

HB1941 – Whether Stop the Bleed training constitutes an undue financial burden on schools

Delegate Clark argued the training would not cost anything, stating that training services are free, while Stacy Haney of the School Boards Association countered that even if training exists and instructors are available, the state still has to find the time and the staff to implement it and asked whether the state would help provide funding if it is going to mandate the training.

+ 4 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“We have just one division that is exploiting this loophole and has dismissed teachers before the deadline, but not given them due process until September. So they have to go without pay the whole time. They're unable to transfer to another school district without potentially losing their license.”
Chad Stewart, Virginia Education Association — Stewart was testifying in support of HB125, which clarifies teacher contract law to prevent school boards from using the June 15th noncontinuation deadline to dismiss tenured teachers without providing due process.

+ 4 more quotes

Votes

Motion to report HB478No Vote

Motion to report HB125No Vote

Motion to report HB955 with substituteNo Vote

Motion to report HB957 with substitute and refer to AppropriationsNo Vote

Motion to add amendment with a delayed effective date of one year to HB1941Passed

Motion to report HB941 (HB1941) as amended and refer the bill to AppropriationsNo Vote

Motion to report HB1208 and refer to AppropriationsNo Vote

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TranscriptPreview

It. Subcommittee will now come to order. Thank you. Good morning, everyone. First up, we have chair Watts. Oh, sorry. Let's open the. I'm sorry, Chair Watts. This is my first time doing this, so. Hello. Good morning. But. Yes, clerk, please open the roll for attendance. Thank you very much. Oh, sorry. Okay, Clerk, you can close the. Okay, we have a quorum. You can close the rolls. Thank you. And now, Chair Watts, it looks like you have HB478 before us today. I do, thank you. And this is also my first time before this committee and especially subcommittee, But I wanted to start there because the placement of HB478, which asks for the fine arts diploma seal, it was interesting to have it come before a committee that starts with the preschool. But the fact that it's innovation, I think is totally appropriate for the subject of the bill before us. Again, essentially it's looking for a fine art seal diploma. To recognize the discipline. The intellectual focusing, the problem solving and the ability to work as a cooperative effort in producing material is all part of what's being recognized in this seal that recognizes the extraordinary…

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