Bill Commons

VA HB 473

Status unknown

Public ed.; special ed. dispute resolution system, regional special education ombudsman established.

Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower

Quick answers

Did VA HB 473 pass?

The current status of VA HB 473 is not known from the official record. Latest recorded action (2026-02-18): Left in Committee Appropriations

What is VA HB 473 about?

Public education; special education dispute resolution system; administration, organization, oversight, and training; regional special education ombudsman established. Makes several revisions and updates to the special education dispute resolution system, services, and resources in the Commonwealth, including by (i) requiring the Board of Education to prescribe procedures providing for a tiered dispute resolution system that encourages the use of mediation as an informal means of resolving disputes relating to special education and related services; (ii) expanding the duties of the State Parent Ombudsman for Special Education, including by requiring it to develop and implement an anonymous evaluation survey for individuals after contacting or using the State Parent Ombudsman for Special Education, collaborate with the Office of the Children's Ombudsman, provide certain training to its staff by a neutral, qualified expert, and provide additional support, resources, and technical assistance to the Parent Training and Information Center; (iii) expanding the duties of the Department of Education relating to the special education dispute resolution system, including requirements relating to oversight of school division complaints, the provision of neutral, qualified IEP facilitators and mediators, and the provision of training on the tiered dispute resolution system to parents, school personnel, and all special education mediators and hearing officers; and (iv) directing the Department of Education to establish four regional special education ombudsman centers for the purpose of serving as a resource for parents and school personnel on matters relating to the special education dispute resolution system and assisting with the monitoring and oversight of school division and school compliance with federal and state laws and regulations relating to special education dispute resolution.

Who sponsors VA HB 473?

Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler is the primary sponsor of VA HB 473.

Description

Public education; special education dispute resolution system; administration, organization, oversight, and training; regional special education ombudsman established. Makes several revisions and updates to the special education dispute resolution system, services, and resources in the Commonwealth, including by (i) requiring the Board of Education to prescribe procedures providing for a tiered dispute resolution system that encourages the use of mediation as an informal means of resolving disputes relating to special education and related services; (ii) expanding the duties of the State Parent Ombudsman for Special Education, including by requiring it to develop and implement an anonymous evaluation survey for individuals after contacting or using the State Parent Ombudsman for Special Education, collaborate with the Office of the Children's Ombudsman, provide certain training to its staff by a neutral, qualified expert, and provide additional support, resources, and technical assistance to the Parent Training and Information Center; (iii) expanding the duties of the Department of Education relating to the special education dispute resolution system, including requirements relating to oversight of school division complaints, the provision of neutral, qualified IEP facilitators and mediators, and the provision of training on the tiered dispute resolution system to parents, school personnel, and all special education mediators and hearing officers; and (iv) directing the Department of Education to establish four regional special education ombudsman centers for the purpose of serving as a resource for parents and school personnel on matters relating to the special education dispute resolution system and assisting with the monitoring and oversight of school division and school compliance with federal and state laws and regulations relating to special education dispute resolution.

Introduced
2026-01-12
Latest action
2026-02-18 — Left in Committee Appropriations
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Sponsors

  • Kelly K. Convirs-Fowlerprimary

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2026-01-12

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101753D

    filing,introduction

  2. 2026-01-12

    Referred to Committee on Education

    referral-committee

  3. 2026-01-30

    Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee

    referral-committee

  4. 2026-02-04

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB473)

  5. 2026-02-10

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N)

  6. 2026-02-10

    House committee offered

  7. 2026-02-11

    Reported from Education with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations (20-Y 0-N 1-A)

    committee-passage

  8. 2026-02-11

    Assigned HAPP sub: Elementary & Secondary Education

    referral-committee

  9. 2026-02-13

    Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (7-Y 0-N)

  10. 2026-02-18

    Left in Committee Appropriations

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s)

    2026-02-10 · pass · 10-0

    Member-level votes (10)
    • Shelly A. Simonds: yes
    • Alex Q. Askew: yes
    • Rae Cousins: yes
    • Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
    • Jessica L. Anderson: yes
    • Lindsey Dougherty: yes
    • Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
    • Mike A. Cherry: yes
    • Anne Ferrell Tata: yes
    • Hillary Pugh Kent: yes

  • Reported from Education with amendment(s)

    2026-02-11 · pass · 20-0

    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: not voting
    • 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: yes
    • Anne Ferrell Tata: yes
    • Phillip A. Scott: yes
    • Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: abstain
    • Eric R. Zehr: yes
    • Hillary Pugh Kent: yes
    • Madison Whittle: yes

  • Subcommittee recommends laying on the table

    2026-02-13 · pass · 7-0

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Delores L. McQuinn: yes
    • Briana D. Sewell: yes
    • Charniele L. Herring: yes
    • Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
    • Shelly A. Simonds: yes
    • Bill Wiley: yes
    • Ellen H. McLaughlin: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB473

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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