K-12 Subcommittee

Tuesday, February 10, 2026·2h 36m·▶ Watch / Listen

The K-12 Subcommittee advanced more than a dozen education bills ranging from Charlie's Law requiring private school anti-bullying policies to landmark diabetes management legislation, while carrying over two CTE credentialing bills and sending several measures to Appropriations over unfunded-mandate objections from school boards and superintendents.

Key Actions

·HB 894 – Charlie's Law: Private School Bullying PoliciesPassed

+ 11 more actions

Controversies

Unfunded mandate vs. student safety: HB 461 age range restrictions in special education classrooms

Delegate Cherry argued she would vote no because 'we don't know how it's going to impact local school divisions' and called it 'an unfunded mandate because we're requiring them to spend more money to do this.' Delegate Cohen countered that the legal obligation of free and appropriate public education 'is not being met' and argued the populations involved are very small even in large counties like Fairfax.

+ 4 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“Charlie entered high school as a ninth grader in 2022, and 18 months later, he took down his school banner that he had proudly pinned above his bed and hung himself with it. And there was a course of 13 days that started with a rumor and ended with Charlie reaching for God for love and protection.”
Dawn Schnell (Charlie's mother, public testimony on HB 894) — Schnell testified in support of HB 894, which would require private schools to have anti-bullying and cyberbullying policies in their student codes of conduct, a bill named after her son Charlie who died by suicide following a period of bullying.

+ 4 more quotes

Votes

Report HB 894 (Charlie's Law – private school bullying policies) as amendedPassed

Report HB 497 (IEP/504 data collection) as substituted and amendedPassed

Report HB 461 (special ed age range restrictions) as amendedPassed

Report HB 613 (teacher mentorship pilot program) referred to AppropriationsPassed

Report HB 913 (restore DOE equity resources)Passed

Report HB 1345 (indoor air quality testing) referred to Appropriations as substitutedPassed

Report HB 1373 (PD16 feasibility study) referred to Appropriations with substitutePassed

Report HB 686 (open enrollment model guidance) as substitutedPassed

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TranscriptPreview

Good morning. The K12 subcommittee. Madam Clerk, you may take the roll. You may close the roll. A quorum is present to conduct our business today. Thank you for joining us in person and online. We have a busy docket so that we ask you keep your testimony to less than 1 minute and address any comments to the chair. And please exercise decorum and respect for our members. First, we'll take testimony in person, in favor, then opposed. Then we will go online to hear in person testimony in favor and then opposed for online testimony. Please keep comments to less than one minute and turn on your camera, please. Per the rules of the House of the Delegates, you can also submit comments using hodspeak.house.virginia.gov that being said, let's get started. First, we have some housekeeping. We have Delegate Price has asked that her HB 1331 be continued to 2027. Second. Okay, that is a voice vote. All those in favor? Aye. All right, next we have Josh Cole's bill, HB53, to be rolled into HB894. So that is an incorporation. Can I have a motion? It's been moved. Improperly seconded. Incorporation is also a voice vote. All…

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