Bill Commons

VA HB 1037

vetoed

Instructional materials on climate change & environtl. literacy; model pol. & proced. for selection.

Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower

Quick answers

Did VA HB 1037 pass?

No. VA HB 1037 passed the legislature but was vetoed on 2026-04-11. Latest recorded action (2026-04-11): Governor's recommendation received by House

What is VA HB 1037 about?

Board of Education; instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy; model policies and procedures for selection. Requires the Board of Education to make available to each local school board instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy that are based on and include peer-reviewed scientific sources. The bill requires the Board of Education to develop, adopt, and make available to each local school board model policies and procedures, based on peer-reviewed scientific sources, pertaining to the selection of instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy, including a requirement for any such selected material to accurately portray changes in weather and climate patterns over time, the impacts of human activity on changes in weather and climate patterns, and the effects of climate change on people and resources.

Who sponsors VA HB 1037?

Betsy B. Carr is the primary sponsor of VA HB 1037, joined by 8 cosponsors.

Description

Board of Education; instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy; model policies and procedures for selection. Requires the Board of Education to make available to each local school board instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy that are based on and include peer-reviewed scientific sources. The bill requires the Board of Education to develop, adopt, and make available to each local school board model policies and procedures, based on peer-reviewed scientific sources, pertaining to the selection of instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy, including a requirement for any such selected material to accurately portray changes in weather and climate patterns over time, the impacts of human activity on changes in weather and climate patterns, and the effects of climate change on people and resources.

Introduced
2026-01-14
Latest action
2026-04-11 — Governor's recommendation received by House
Bill type
bill
Last updated

Sponsors

  • Betsy B. Carrprimary
  • Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.cosponsor
  • Irene Shincosponsor
  • Michelle Lopes Maldonadocosponsor
  • Kathy K.L. Trancosponsor
  • Jackie H. Glasscosponsor
  • Nicole Colecosponsor
  • Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parkercosponsor
  • Amy J. Laufercosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2026-01-14

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102265D

    filing,introduction

  2. 2026-01-14

    Referred to Committee on Education

    referral-committee

  3. 2026-01-30

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1037)

  4. 2026-02-02

    Reported from Education (15-Y 7-N)

    committee-passage

  5. 2026-02-04

    Read first time

    reading-1

  6. 2026-02-05

    Read second time and engrossed

    reading-2

  7. 2026-02-06

    Read third time and passed House (65-Y 33-N 0-A)

    passage,reading-3

  8. 2026-02-09

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  9. 2026-02-09

    Referred to Committee on Education and Health

    referral-committee

  10. 2026-02-19

    Assigned Education sub: Public Education

    referral-committee

  11. 2026-02-26

    Reported from Education and Health (9-Y 6-N)

    committee-passage

  12. 2026-02-27

    Rules suspended

  13. 2026-02-27

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)

  14. 2026-02-27

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  15. 2026-03-02

    Read third time

    reading-3

  16. 2026-03-02

    Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

    passage

  17. 2026-03-09

    Enrolled

    enrolled

  18. 2026-03-09

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1037ER)

    passage

  19. 2026-03-09

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1037)

  20. 2026-03-09

    Signed by Speaker

    passage

  21. 2026-03-09

    Signed by President

    passage

  22. 2026-03-10

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

    enrolled,executive-receipt

  23. 2026-03-10

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

    executive-receipt

  24. 2026-04-11

    Governor's recommendation received by House

    executive-veto-line-item

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Reported from Education

    2026-02-02 · pass · 15-7

    Member-level votes (22)
    • Sam Rasoul: yes
    • Shelly A. Simonds: yes
    • Delores L. McQuinn: yes
    • Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
    • Briana D. Sewell: yes
    • Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: yes
    • Alex Q. Askew: yes
    • Nadarius E. Clark: yes
    • Rae Cousins: yes
    • Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
    • Amy J. Laufer: yes
    • Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
    • Jessica L. Anderson: yes
    • Lindsey Dougherty: yes
    • Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
    • Mike A. Cherry: no
    • Anne Ferrell Tata: no
    • Phillip A. Scott: no
    • Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: no
    • Eric R. Zehr: no
    • Hillary Pugh Kent: no
    • Madison Whittle: no
  • H VOTE:

    2026-02-06 · pass · 65-33

    Member-level votes (100)
    • Jessica L. Anderson: yes
    • Bonita G. Anthony: yes
    • Alex Q. Askew: yes
    • Terry L. Austin: no
    • Jason S. Ballard: no
    • Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
    • Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: no
    • Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
    • Katrina Callsen: yes
    • Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
    • Betsy B. Carr: yes
    • Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
    • Mike A. Cherry: no
    • Nadarius E. Clark: yes
    • Laura Jane Cohen: yes
    • Joshua G. Cole: yes
    • Nicole Cole: yes
    • Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: not voting
    • Mitchell Cornett: no
    • Rae Cousins: yes
    • Will Davis: no
    • Karrie K. Delaney: yes
    • Lindsey Dougherty: yes
    • Mark C. Downey: yes
    • Michael B. Feggans: yes
    • Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: no
    • Lily V. Franklin: yes
    • Margaret A. Franklin: yes
    • Debra D. Gardner: yes
    • Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: no
    • Jackie H. Glass: yes
    • Timothy P. Griffin: no
    • Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
    • Karen Hamilton: no
    • C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
    • Dan I. Helmer: yes
    • Rozia A. Henson, Jr.: yes
    • Phil M. Hernandez: yes
    • Charniele L. Herring: yes
    • M. Keith Hodges: no
    • Patrick A. Hope: yes
    • Hillary Pugh Kent: yes
    • Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
    • Terry G. Kilgore: no
    • Barry D. Knight: not voting
    • Paul E. Krizek: yes
    • Amy J. Laufer: yes
    • James A. "Jay" Leftwich: no
    • Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
    • Alfonso H. Lopez: yes
    • Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
    • Marty Martinez: yes
    • John Chilton McAuliff: yes
    • Adele Y. McClure: yes
    • Garrett McGuire: yes
    • Ellen H. McLaughlin: no
    • Joseph P. McNamara: no
    • Delores L. McQuinn: yes
    • Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
    • James W. Morefield: no
    • May Nivar: yes
    • Delores Oates: no
    • Israel D. O'Quinn: no
    • Justin Pence: no
    • Eric Phillips: no
    • Kimberly Pope Adams: yes
    • Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
    • Sam Rasoul: yes
    • Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
    • David A. Reid: yes
    • Chris S. Runion: no
    • Charlie Schmidt: yes
    • Don Scott: yes
    • Phillip A. Scott: no
    • Holly M. Seibold: yes
    • Briana D. Sewell: yes
    • Irene Shin: yes
    • Marcus B. Simon: yes
    • Shelly A. Simonds: yes
    • JJ Singh: yes
    • Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
    • Anne Ferrell Tata: yes
    • Joshua E. Thomas: yes
    • Virgil Thornton: yes
    • Luke E. Torian: yes
    • Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
    • H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: no
    • Wendell S. Walker: no
    • Jeion A. Ward: yes
    • R. Lee Ware: no
    • Vivian E. Watts: yes
    • Michael J. Webert: no
    • Madison Whittle: no
    • Bill Wiley: no
    • Rodney T. Willett: yes
    • Wren M. Williams: no
    • Tony O. Wilt: no
    • Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: no
    • Scott A. Wyatt: no
    • Eric R. Zehr: no
  • Reported from Education and Health

    2026-02-26 · pass · 9-6

    Member-level votes (15)
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • L. Louise Lucas: yes
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • David R. Suetterlein: no
    • Mark J. Peake: no
    • Todd E. Pillion: no
    • Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
    • Lamont Bagby: yes
    • Christopher T. Head: no
    • Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
    • Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
    • Tara A. Durant: no
    • Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
    • Christie New Craig: no
    • Russet Perry: yes
  • Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading)

    2026-02-27 · pass · 37-0

    Member-level votes (40)
    • Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
    • Lamont Bagby: yes
    • Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
    • Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
    • Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
    • Luther Cifers, III: yes
    • Christie New Craig: yes
    • R. Creigh Deeds: yes
    • Bill DeSteph: yes
    • J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
    • Tara A. Durant: not voting
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • Timmy French: yes
    • T. Travis Hackworth: yes
    • Christopher T. Head: yes
    • Michael J. Jones: yes
    • Emily M. Jordan: yes
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • L. Louise Lucas: yes
    • David W. Marsden: yes
    • Ryan T. McDougle: yes
    • Jeremy S. McPike: yes
    • Tammy Brankley Mulchi: yes
    • Mark D. Obenshain: yes
    • Mark J. Peake: yes
    • Stella G. Pekarsky: not voting
    • Russet Perry: yes
    • Todd E. Pillion: yes
    • Bryce E. Reeves: yes
    • Danica A. Roem: not voting
    • Aaron R. Rouse: yes
    • Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
    • Kannan Srinivasan: yes
    • William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
    • Richard H. Stuart: yes
    • Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: yes
    • David R. Suetterlein: yes
    • Scott A. Surovell: yes
    • Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
    • Angelia Williams Graves: yes
  • Passage R

    2026-03-02 · pass · 21-19

    Member-level votes (40)
    • Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
    • Lamont Bagby: yes
    • Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
    • Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
    • Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
    • Luther Cifers, III: no
    • Christie New Craig: no
    • R. Creigh Deeds: yes
    • Bill DeSteph: no
    • J.D. "Danny" Diggs: no
    • Tara A. Durant: no
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • Timmy French: no
    • T. Travis Hackworth: no
    • Christopher T. Head: no
    • Michael J. Jones: yes
    • Emily M. Jordan: no
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • L. Louise Lucas: yes
    • David W. Marsden: yes
    • Ryan T. McDougle: no
    • Jeremy S. McPike: yes
    • Tammy Brankley Mulchi: no
    • Mark D. Obenshain: no
    • Mark J. Peake: no
    • Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
    • Russet Perry: yes
    • Todd E. Pillion: no
    • Bryce E. Reeves: no
    • Danica A. Roem: yes
    • Aaron R. Rouse: yes
    • Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
    • Kannan Srinivasan: yes
    • William M. Stanley, Jr.: no
    • Richard H. Stuart: no
    • Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: no
    • David R. Suetterlein: no
    • Scott A. Surovell: yes
    • Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
    • Angelia Williams Graves: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

Use this data

Every field on this page is available from the free public API — no key or licence required. Fetch this bill as JSON: GET /api/v1/bills?jurisdiction=VA&identifier=HB 1037. See the API docs or the MCP server for AI assistants.

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  • Sponsor party and chamber affiliation are not yet captured by this API.
  • Committee referrals are not yet captured.

See the methodology page for data sources and limitations.