Bill Commons

VA HB 1221

enacted

Higher ed. financial aid programs; amends provisions, Va. Commonwealth Award established, report.

Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower

Quick answers

Did VA HB 1221 pass?

Yes. VA HB 1221 has been enacted into law as of 2026-04-06. Latest recorded action (2026-04-06): Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0272)

What is VA HB 1221 about?

Public institutions of higher education; financial aid review and consolidation; Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program and Fund; Virginia Commonwealth Award established; work group; report. Amends several provisions relating to higher education financial aid programs for the purpose of establishing the Virginia Commonwealth Award in the Code of Virginia and consolidating the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program and Fund with the Virginia Commonwealth Award. Currently, the Virginia Commonwealth Award is established and administered only in the Virginia Administrative Code. In consolidating and establishing such financial aid programs as the Virginia Commonwealth Award, the bill codifies several definitions and provisions relating to award eligibility and renewal for undergraduate students and graduate students. The bill also repeals a provision of law establishing the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Fund. The bill directs the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to promulgate emergency regulations for the administration of financial aid in accordance with the provisions of the bill by April 1, 2027. The bill also directs the Secretary of Education to (i) establish a work group to conduct a comprehensive review of higher education financial aid systems and processes in the Commonwealth and make recommendations on strategies for maximizing the efficacy and impact of state financial aid appropriations on accessibility and affordability of and student outcomes in higher education in the Commonwealth and (ii) submit to the chairs of the applicable committees of the General Assembly by July 1, 2027, a report on the work group's findings and recommendations. Finally, the bill provides for the gradual phase-out of the award of grants under the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program by (a) prohibiting any first-time students from being offered a grant under the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program beginning with first-time students enrolled in the fall semester of 2027 and (b) permitting any public institution of higher education to provide for the annual renewal of grant awards under such program for no more than three subsequent award years, or up to a total of four award years, to any student who receives a grant during the 2026–2027 school year and continues to meet the requirements for grant renewal set forth in applicable law. This bill is identical to SB 167.

Who sponsors VA HB 1221?

Briana D. Sewell is the primary sponsor of VA HB 1221, joined by 3 cosponsors.

Description

Public institutions of higher education; financial aid review and consolidation; Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program and Fund; Virginia Commonwealth Award established; work group; report. Amends several provisions relating to higher education financial aid programs for the purpose of establishing the Virginia Commonwealth Award in the Code of Virginia and consolidating the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program and Fund with the Virginia Commonwealth Award. Currently, the Virginia Commonwealth Award is established and administered only in the Virginia Administrative Code. In consolidating and establishing such financial aid programs as the Virginia Commonwealth Award, the bill codifies several definitions and provisions relating to award eligibility and renewal for undergraduate students and graduate students. The bill also repeals a provision of law establishing the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Fund. The bill directs the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to promulgate emergency regulations for the administration of financial aid in accordance with the provisions of the bill by April 1, 2027. The bill also directs the Secretary of Education to (i) establish a work group to conduct a comprehensive review of higher education financial aid systems and processes in the Commonwealth and make recommendations on strategies for maximizing the efficacy and impact of state financial aid appropriations on accessibility and affordability of and student outcomes in higher education in the Commonwealth and (ii) submit to the chairs of the applicable committees of the General Assembly by July 1, 2027, a report on the work group's findings and recommendations. Finally, the bill provides for the gradual phase-out of the award of grants under the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program by (a) prohibiting any first-time students from being offered a grant under the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program beginning with first-time students enrolled in the fall semester of 2027 and (b) permitting any public institution of higher education to provide for the annual renewal of grant awards under such program for no more than three subsequent award years, or up to a total of four award years, to any student who receives a grant during the 2026–2027 school year and continues to meet the requirements for grant renewal set forth in applicable law. This bill is identical to SB 167.

Introduced
2026-01-14
Latest action
2026-04-06 — Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0272)
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Sponsors

  • Briana D. Sewellprimary
  • Lily V. Franklincosponsor
  • Nicole Colecosponsor
  • Jessica L. Andersoncosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2026-01-14

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105155D

    filing,introduction

  2. 2026-01-14

    Referred to Committee on Appropriations

    referral-committee

  3. 2026-01-23

    Assigned HAPP sub: Higher Education

    referral-committee

  4. 2026-01-26

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1221)

  5. 2026-01-28

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N)

  6. 2026-01-30

    Reported from Appropriations (21-Y 0-N)

    committee-passage

  7. 2026-02-03

    Read first time

    reading-1

  8. 2026-02-04

    Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar

  9. 2026-02-04

    Read second time and engrossed

    reading-2

  10. 2026-02-05

    Read third time and passed House (91-Y 6-N 0-A)

    passage,reading-3

  11. 2026-02-06

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  12. 2026-02-06

    Referred to Committee on Education and Health

    referral-committee

  13. 2026-02-19

    Reported from Education and Health and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)

    committee-passage

  14. 2026-03-03

    Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (14-Y 0-N)

    committee-passage

  15. 2026-03-03

    Rules suspended

  16. 2026-03-03

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  17. 2026-03-03

    Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)

  18. 2026-03-04

    Committee substitute printed 26109059D-S1

    substitution

  19. 2026-03-04

    Read third time

    reading-3

  20. 2026-03-04

    Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to

  21. 2026-03-04

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

    substitution

  22. 2026-03-04

    Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

    passage

  23. 2026-03-05

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1221)

  24. 2026-03-06

    Senate substitute rejected by House (3-Y 94-N 0-A)

  25. 2026-03-10

    Finance and Appropriations Substitute receded by Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  26. 2026-03-30

    Enrolled

    enrolled

  27. 2026-03-30

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1221ER)

    passage

  28. 2026-03-30

    Signed by President

    passage

  29. 2026-03-31

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1221)

  30. 2026-03-31

    Signed by Speaker

    passage

  31. 2026-03-31

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

    enrolled,executive-receipt

  32. 2026-03-31

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

    executive-receipt

  33. 2026-04-06

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 272 (effective 7/1/2026)

    executive-signature

  34. 2026-04-06

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0272)

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Subcommittee recommends reporting

    2026-01-28 · pass · 7-0

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Betsy B. Carr: yes
    • David A. Reid: yes
    • Alex Q. Askew: yes
    • Joshua E. Thomas: yes
    • Amy J. Laufer: yes
    • Terry L. Austin: yes
    • James W. Morefield: yes

  • Reported from Appropriations

    2026-01-30 · pass · 21-0

    Member-level votes (22)
    • Luke E. Torian: yes
    • Betsy B. Carr: yes
    • Delores L. McQuinn: not voting
    • Paul E. Krizek: yes
    • C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
    • David A. Reid: yes
    • Rodney T. Willett: yes
    • Briana D. Sewell: yes
    • Alex Q. Askew: yes
    • Charniele L. Herring: yes
    • Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
    • Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
    • Shelly A. Simonds: yes
    • Joshua E. Thomas: yes
    • Amy J. Laufer: yes
    • Terry L. Austin: yes
    • James W. Morefield: yes
    • Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: yes
    • M. Keith Hodges: yes
    • Scott A. Wyatt: yes
    • Bill Wiley: yes
    • Ellen H. McLaughlin: yes

  • H VOTE:

    2026-02-05 · pass · 91-6

    Member-level votes (100)
    • Jessica L. Anderson: yes
    • Bonita G. Anthony: yes
    • Alex Q. Askew: yes
    • Terry L. Austin: yes
    • Jason S. Ballard: yes
    • Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
    • Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: yes
    • Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
    • Katrina Callsen: yes
    • Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
    • Betsy B. Carr: yes
    • Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
    • Mike A. Cherry: yes
    • Nadarius E. Clark: yes
    • Laura Jane Cohen: yes
    • Joshua G. Cole: yes
    • Nicole Cole: yes
    • Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: yes
    • Mitchell Cornett: yes
    • Rae Cousins: yes
    • Will Davis: yes
    • Karrie K. Delaney: yes
    • Lindsey Dougherty: yes
    • Mark C. Downey: yes
    • Michael B. Feggans: yes
    • Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: yes
    • Lily V. Franklin: yes
    • Margaret A. Franklin: not voting
    • Debra D. Gardner: yes
    • Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: yes
    • 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: yes
    • Patrick A. Hope: yes
    • Hillary Pugh Kent: yes
    • Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
    • Terry G. Kilgore: yes
    • Barry D. Knight: not voting
    • Paul E. Krizek: yes
    • Amy J. Laufer: yes
    • James A. "Jay" Leftwich: yes
    • 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: yes
    • Joseph P. McNamara: yes
    • Delores L. McQuinn: yes
    • Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
    • James W. Morefield: yes
    • May Nivar: yes
    • Delores Oates: yes
    • Israel D. O'Quinn: yes
    • Justin Pence: yes
    • Eric Phillips: not voting
    • Kimberly Pope Adams: yes
    • Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
    • Sam Rasoul: yes
    • Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
    • David A. Reid: yes
    • Chris S. Runion: yes
    • 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.: yes
    • Wendell S. Walker: yes
    • Jeion A. Ward: yes
    • R. Lee Ware: yes
    • Vivian E. Watts: yes
    • Michael J. Webert: yes
    • Madison Whittle: yes
    • Bill Wiley: yes
    • Rodney T. Willett: yes
    • Wren M. Williams: no
    • Tony O. Wilt: yes
    • Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: no
    • Scott A. Wyatt: yes
    • Eric R. Zehr: no

  • Reported from Education and Health

    2026-02-19 · pass · 15-0

    Member-level votes (15)
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • L. Louise Lucas: yes
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • David R. Suetterlein: yes
    • Mark J. Peake: yes
    • Todd E. Pillion: yes
    • Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
    • Lamont Bagby: yes
    • Christopher T. Head: yes
    • Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
    • Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
    • Tara A. Durant: yes
    • Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
    • Christie New Craig: yes
    • Russet Perry: yes

  • Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading)

    2026-03-03 · pass · 40-0

    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: yes
    • 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: yes
    • Russet Perry: yes
    • Todd E. Pillion: yes
    • Bryce E. Reeves: yes
    • Danica A. Roem: yes
    • 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

  • Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute

    2026-03-03 · pass · 14-0

    Member-level votes (15)
    • L. Louise Lucas: yes
    • R. Creigh Deeds: yes
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • Ryan T. McDougle: yes
    • Mark D. Obenshain: yes
    • Richard H. Stuart: yes
    • Bryce E. Reeves: yes
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • Scott A. Surovell: yes
    • Jeremy S. McPike: yes
    • Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
    • Todd E. Pillion: yes
    • Aaron R. Rouse: yes
    • Lamont Bagby: not voting
    • Lashrecse D. Aird: yes

  • Passage R

    2026-03-04 · pass · 40-0

    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: yes
    • 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: yes
    • Russet Perry: yes
    • Todd E. Pillion: yes
    • Bryce E. Reeves: yes
    • Danica A. Roem: yes
    • 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

  • H VOTE:

    2026-03-06 · fail · 3-94

    Member-level votes (99)
    • Jessica L. Anderson: no
    • Bonita G. Anthony: no
    • Alex Q. Askew: no
    • Terry L. Austin: yes
    • Jason S. Ballard: no
    • Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: no
    • Gretchen M. Bulova: no
    • Katrina Callsen: no
    • Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: no
    • Betsy B. Carr: no
    • Stacey Annie Carroll: no
    • Mike A. Cherry: no
    • Nadarius E. Clark: no
    • Laura Jane Cohen: not voting
    • Joshua G. Cole: no
    • Nicole Cole: no
    • Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: no
    • Mitchell Cornett: no
    • Rae Cousins: yes
    • Will Davis: no
    • Karrie K. Delaney: no
    • Lindsey Dougherty: no
    • Mark C. Downey: no
    • Michael B. Feggans: no
    • Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: no
    • Lily V. Franklin: no
    • Margaret A. Franklin: no
    • Debra D. Gardner: no
    • Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: no
    • Jackie H. Glass: no
    • Timothy P. Griffin: no
    • Elizabeth R. Guzman: no
    • Karen Hamilton: no
    • C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: no
    • Dan I. Helmer: no
    • Rozia A. Henson, Jr.: no
    • Phil M. Hernandez: no
    • Charniele L. Herring: no
    • M. Keith Hodges: no
    • Patrick A. Hope: yes
    • Hillary Pugh Kent: no
    • Karen Keys-Gamarra: no
    • Terry G. Kilgore: no
    • Paul E. Krizek: no
    • Amy J. Laufer: no
    • James A. "Jay" Leftwich: no
    • Destiny LeVere Bolling: no
    • Alfonso H. Lopez: no
    • Michelle Lopes Maldonado: no
    • Marty Martinez: no
    • John Chilton McAuliff: no
    • Adele Y. McClure: no
    • Garrett McGuire: no
    • Ellen H. McLaughlin: no
    • Joseph P. McNamara: no
    • Kirk McPike: no
    • Delores L. McQuinn: not voting
    • Leslie Chambers Mehta: no
    • James W. Morefield: no
    • May Nivar: no
    • Delores Oates: no
    • Israel D. O'Quinn: no
    • Justin Pence: no
    • Eric Phillips: no
    • Kimberly Pope Adams: no
    • Marcia S. "Cia" Price: no
    • Sam Rasoul: no
    • Atoosa R. Reaser: no
    • David A. Reid: no
    • Chris S. Runion: no
    • Charlie Schmidt: no
    • Don Scott: no
    • Phillip A. Scott: no
    • Holly M. Seibold: no
    • Briana D. Sewell: no
    • Irene Shin: no
    • Marcus B. Simon: no
    • Shelly A. Simonds: no
    • JJ Singh: no
    • Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: no
    • Anne Ferrell Tata: no
    • Joshua E. Thomas: no
    • Virgil Thornton: no
    • Luke E. Torian: no
    • Kathy K.L. Tran: no
    • H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: no
    • Wendell S. Walker: no
    • Jeion A. Ward: no
    • R. Lee Ware: no
    • Vivian E. Watts: no
    • Michael J. Webert: no
    • Madison Whittle: no
    • Bill Wiley: no
    • Rodney T. Willett: no
    • Wren M. Williams: no
    • Tony O. Wilt: no
    • Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: no
    • Scott A. Wyatt: no
    • Eric R. Zehr: no

  • Recede R

    2026-03-10 · pass · 39-0

    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: yes
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • Timmy French: not voting
    • 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: yes
    • Russet Perry: yes
    • Todd E. Pillion: yes
    • Bryce E. Reeves: yes
    • Danica A. Roem: yes
    • 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

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB1221

Attribution

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

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

Source and document changesStatus and relationship changes

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