Bill Commons

VA HB 971

enacted

College student-athletes; biometric data, protections and limitations.

Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower

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Quick answers

Did VA HB 971 pass?

Yes. VA HB 971 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-04-06): Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0247)

What is VA HB 971 about?

College student-athletes; biometric data; protections and limitations. Prohibits any private institution of higher education, associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education, or baccalaureate public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth from disclosing to any individual or entity outside of the institution any enrolled student-athlete's biometric data, as defined in the bill, without the prior written consent of the student-athlete. The bill also prohibits any individual or entity from making the possession, use, or ownership of or the rights to any student-athlete's biometric data a condition of any contract with the student-athlete for the use of the student-athlete's name, image, or likeness without the prior written consent of the student-athlete in a writing that is separate and apart from such contract.

Who sponsors VA HB 971?

Marcia S. "Cia" Price is the primary sponsor of VA HB 971, joined by 5 cosponsors.

Description

College student-athletes; biometric data; protections and limitations. Prohibits any private institution of higher education, associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education, or baccalaureate public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth from disclosing to any individual or entity outside of the institution any enrolled student-athlete's biometric data, as defined in the bill, without the prior written consent of the student-athlete. The bill also prohibits any individual or entity from making the possession, use, or ownership of or the rights to any student-athlete's biometric data a condition of any contract with the student-athlete for the use of the student-athlete's name, image, or likeness without the prior written consent of the student-athlete in a writing that is separate and apart from such contract.

Introduced
2026-01-13
Latest action
2026-04-06 — Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0247)
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Sponsors

  • Marcia S. "Cia" Priceprimary
  • Kathy K.L. Trancosponsor
  • Israel D. O'Quinncosponsor
  • Jackie H. Glasscosponsor
  • Rae Cousinscosponsor
  • Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parkercosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2026-04-06

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0247)

  2. 2026-04-06

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 247 (effective 7/1/2026)

    executive-signature

  3. 2026-03-25

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

    executive-receipt

  4. 2026-03-25

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026

    enrolled,executive-receipt

  5. 2026-03-16

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB971)

  6. 2026-03-14

    Signed by President

    passage

  7. 2026-03-14

    Signed by Speaker

    passage

  8. 2026-03-14

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB971ER)

    passage

  9. 2026-03-14

    Enrolled

    enrolled

  10. 2026-03-09

    Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

    passage

  11. 2026-03-09

    Read third time

    reading-3

  12. 2026-03-06

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  13. 2026-03-06

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  14. 2026-03-06

    Rules suspended

  15. 2026-03-05

    Reported from Education and Health (15-Y 0-N)

    committee-passage

  16. 2026-03-02

    Assigned Education sub: Higher Education

    referral-committee

  17. 2026-02-18

    Referred to Committee on Education and Health

    referral-committee

  18. 2026-02-18

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  19. 2026-02-17

    Read third time and passed House (93-Y 3-N 0-A)

    passage,reading-3

  20. 2026-02-16

    Read second time and engrossed

    reading-2

  21. 2026-02-13

    Read first time

    reading-1

  22. 2026-02-11

    Reported from Education (19-Y 1-N 1-A)

    committee-passage

  23. 2026-02-09

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB971)

  24. 2026-02-09

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 3-N)

  25. 2026-02-05

    Assigned HED sub: Higher Education

    referral-committee

  26. 2026-01-13

    Referred to Committee on Education

    referral-committee

  27. 2026-01-13

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103119D

    filing,introduction

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Subcommittee recommends reporting

    2026-02-09 · pass · 6-3

    Member-level votes (10)
    • Briana D. Sewell: yes
    • Delores L. McQuinn: yes
    • Nadarius E. Clark: not voting
    • Amy J. Laufer: yes
    • Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
    • Lindsey Dougherty: yes
    • Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
    • Anne Ferrell Tata: no
    • Phillip A. Scott: no
    • Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: no

  • Reported from Education

    2026-02-11 · pass · 19-1

    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: no

  • H VOTE:

    2026-02-17 · pass · 92-3

    Member-level votes (99)
    • Jessica L. Anderson: yes
    • Bonita G. Anthony: yes
    • Alex Q. Askew: yes
    • Terry L. Austin: yes
    • Jason S. Ballard: 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: not voting
    • Laura Jane Cohen: not voting
    • 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.: no
    • Lily V. Franklin: yes
    • Margaret A. Franklin: yes
    • Debra D. Gardner: yes
    • Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: yes
    • Jackie H. Glass: yes
    • Timothy P. Griffin: no
    • 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: 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: not voting
    • 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: 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: yes
    • Tony O. Wilt: yes
    • Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: yes
    • Scott A. Wyatt: yes
    • Eric R. Zehr: yes

  • Reported from Education and Health

    2026-03-05 · 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)

    2026-03-06 · 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: not voting
    • 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

  • Passage R

    2026-03-09 · 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

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB971

Attribution

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

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