STATE BILLVA HB 131PASSED

Higher educational institutions, public; reasonable accommodations for religious beliefs, etc.

Public institutions of higher education; reasonable accommodations for the religious beliefs and practices of individual students. Requires each public institution of higher education to provide reasonable accommodations, as defined in the bill, for the religious beliefs and practices of individual students with regard to admissions, class attendance, and the scheduling of examinations and work assignments and to provide and describe in the institution's student handbook or an equivalent document and in the institution's faculty handbook or an equivalent document a grievance procedure for any student to seek redress when the student believes that he has been unreasonably denied such reasonable accommodations for his religious beliefs and practices.

Status: Passed; Signed or otherwise enacted
Status date: Apr 6, 2026; 220 days ago
Current chamber: House of Delegates
Session: 2026 Regular Session

VA HB 131 · PassedApr 6

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Bill details

Last action: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0074) · Apr 6, 2026

Sponsor

MSMarcus SimonRepresentative · Democrat · HD-013Primary sponsor

Bill history

Newest first.

Apr 6, 2026Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0074)

Apr 6, 2026Approved by Governor-Chapter 74 (effective 7/1/2026)

Mar 10, 2026Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

Mar 10, 2026Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026House

Mar 6, 2026Signed by PresidentSenate

Mar 6, 2026Signed by SpeakerHouse

Mar 6, 2026Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB131)House

Mar 6, 2026Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB131ER)House

Show 20 earlier actions

Mar 6, 2026EnrolledHouse

Mar 2, 2026Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)Senate

Mar 2, 2026Read third timeSenate

Feb 27, 2026Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)Senate

Feb 27, 2026Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)Senate

Feb 27, 2026Rules suspendedSenate

Feb 26, 2026Reported from Education and Health (13-Y 0-N 2-A)Senate

Feb 23, 2026Assigned Education sub: Higher EducationSenate

Feb 4, 2026Referred to Committee on Education and HealthSenate

Feb 4, 2026Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)Senate

Feb 3, 2026Read third time and passed House (94-Y 2-N 0-A)House

Feb 2, 2026Read second time and engrossedHouse

Feb 2, 2026Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular CalendarHouse

Jan 30, 2026Read first timeHouse

Jan 28, 2026Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB131)House

Jan 28, 2026Reported from Education (21-Y 0-N)House

Jan 27, 2026Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N)House

Jan 23, 2026Assigned HED sub: Higher EducationHouse

Jan 3, 2026Referred to Committee on EducationHouse

Jan 3, 2026Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104369DHouse

Recorded votes

Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N)Jan 27, 2026 · House · 9 yea · 0 nayPassed

Reported from Education (21-Y 0-N)Jan 28, 2026 · House · 21 yea · 0 nayPassed

Read third time and passed House (94-Y 2-N 0-A)Feb 3, 2026 · House · 94 yea · 2 nayPassed

Reported from Education and Health (13-Y 0-N 2-A)Feb 26, 2026 · Senate · 13 yea · 0 nayPassed

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)Feb 27, 2026 · Senate · 37 yea · 0 nayPassed

Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)Mar 2, 2026 · Senate · 39 yea · 0 nayPassed

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