VA HB 544
enactedSchool Construction and Modernization, Commission on; revisions, elimination of sunset.
Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower
Quick answers
Did VA HB 544 pass?
Yes. VA HB 544 has been enacted into law as of 2026-04-06. Latest recorded action (2026-04-06): Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0165)
What is VA HB 544 about?
Commission on School Construction and Modernization; revisions; elimination of sunset. Eliminates the expiration date of the Commission on School Construction and Modernization, which, pursuant to current law, is set to expire on July 1, 2026. The bill also directs the Commission to (i) meet at least four times each year and post notice of the date, time, and location of each meeting on the central, publicly available electronic calendar maintained by the Commonwealth in accordance with applicable law; (ii) update annually the statewide needs estimate for construction and modernization of school facilities; (iii) develop and deliver by November 1, 2026, a 10-year capital roadmap; and (iv) collaborate with early childhood care and education Ready Regions and comprehensive community colleges in the Commonwealth to collect and evaluate data relating to Ready Region and comprehensive community college facility usage, availability, and needs. Finally, the bill directs the Department of Education, in order to assist the Commission with its work, to update and make available to the Commission an inventory of all public school facilities in the Commonwealth by September 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 498.
Who sponsors VA HB 544?
Alex Q. Askew is the primary sponsor of VA HB 544, joined by 1 cosponsor.
Description
Commission on School Construction and Modernization; revisions; elimination of sunset. Eliminates the expiration date of the Commission on School Construction and Modernization, which, pursuant to current law, is set to expire on July 1, 2026. The bill also directs the Commission to (i) meet at least four times each year and post notice of the date, time, and location of each meeting on the central, publicly available electronic calendar maintained by the Commonwealth in accordance with applicable law; (ii) update annually the statewide needs estimate for construction and modernization of school facilities; (iii) develop and deliver by November 1, 2026, a 10-year capital roadmap; and (iv) collaborate with early childhood care and education Ready Regions and comprehensive community colleges in the Commonwealth to collect and evaluate data relating to Ready Region and comprehensive community college facility usage, availability, and needs. Finally, the bill directs the Department of Education, in order to assist the Commission with its work, to update and make available to the Commission an inventory of all public school facilities in the Commonwealth by September 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 498.
- Introduced
- 2026-01-13
- Latest action
- 2026-04-06 — Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0165)
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- Alex Q. Askewprimary
- Shelly A. Simondscosponsor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
2026-01-13
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103231D
filing,introduction
2026-01-13
Referred to Committee on Rules
referral-committee
2026-01-22
Assigned HRUL sub: Studies Subcommittee
referral-committee
2026-01-23
Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 0-N)
2026-01-26
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB544)
2026-01-27
Reported from Rules (18-Y 0-N)
committee-passage
2026-01-29
Read first time
reading-1
2026-01-30
Passed by for the day
2026-02-02
Read second time and engrossed
reading-2
2026-02-03
Read third time and passed House (98-Y 0-N 0-A)
passage,reading-3
2026-02-04
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-04
Referred to Committee on Rules
referral-committee
2026-02-27
Reported from Rules (14-Y 0-N)
committee-passage
2026-03-02
Rules suspended
2026-03-02
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-02
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
2026-03-03
Read third time
reading-3
2026-03-03
Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
passage
2026-03-10
Enrolled
enrolled
2026-03-10
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB544ER)
passage
2026-03-10
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB544)
2026-03-10
Signed by Speaker
passage
2026-03-10
Signed by President
passage
2026-03-14
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026
enrolled,executive-receipt
2026-03-14
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
executive-receipt
2026-04-06
Approved by Governor-Chapter 165 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive-signature
2026-04-06
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0165)
Versions
Documents
Votes
Subcommittee recommends reporting
2026-01-23 · pass · 5-0
Member-level votes (5)
- Dan I. Helmer: yes
- Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
- C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
- Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
- Terry G. Kilgore: yes
Reported from Rules
2026-01-27 · pass · 18-0
Member-level votes (18)
- Don Scott: yes
- Charniele L. Herring: yes
- Vivian E. Watts: yes
- Jeion A. Ward: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Luke E. Torian: yes
- Marcus B. Simon: yes
- Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
- C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
- Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
- Dan I. Helmer: yes
- Patrick A. Hope: yes
- Terry G. Kilgore: yes
- R. Lee Ware: yes
- Terry L. Austin: yes
- Michael J. Webert: yes
- Israel D. O'Quinn: yes
- Ellen H. McLaughlin: yes
H VOTE:
2026-02-03 · pass · 98-0
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: yes
- Debra D. Gardner: yes
- Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: yes
- Jackie H. Glass: yes
- Timothy P. Griffin: yes
- Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
- Karen Hamilton: yes
- 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: not voting
- 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: yes
- 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: yes
- 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: yes
- Tony O. Wilt: yes
- Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: yes
- Scott A. Wyatt: yes
- Eric R. Zehr: yes
Reported from Rules
2026-02-27 · pass · 14-0
Member-level votes (15)
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: not voting
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: yes
- Christie New Craig: yes
- David R. Suetterlein: yes
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading)
2026-03-02 · 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: yes
- T. Travis Hackworth: yes
- Christopher T. Head: yes
- Michael J. Jones: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: not voting
- 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
Passage R
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
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 544. See the API docs or the MCP server for AI assistants.
Known limitations
- 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.