SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2023 SESSION

  • print version
Senate Committee on Education and Health
Subcommittee Higher Education

Locke (Chair), Petersen, Cosgrove, Hashmi, Pillion

Staff: J. Bergamini, J. Carlton
Date of Meeting: January 16, 2023
Time and Place: 30 min after Senate/ Senate Subcommittee Room 2

S.B. 910

Patron: Newman

Public institutions of higher education; threat assessment teams; powers and duties. Requires each threat assessment team at each public institution of higher education, upon a preliminary determination that an individual poses an articulable  and significant threat of violence to others, to (i) obtain criminal history record information and health records for such individual, (ii) notify the campus police department, local law enforcement, and the local attorney for the Commonwealth in writing within 24 hours of obtaining such criminal history record information and health records, and (iii) disclose any specific threat of violence posed by the individual as part of such notification. The bill permits each such threat assessment team to invite non-member representatives from campus to participate in individual cases and specifies that no such representative shall be considered a member of the threat assessment team. The bill requires each threat assessment team member to complete an annual threat assessment training conducted by the Department of Criminal Justice Services or an independent entity approved by the Department. The bill also provides that in the event that a public institution of higher education has knowledge that a student who was determined pursuant to an investigation by the institution's threat assessment team to pose an articulable and significant threat of violence to others is transferring to another institution of higher education, the public institution of higher education from which the student is transferring shall notify the institution of higher education to which the student is transferring of such investigation and determination. Finally, the bill requires the Secretary of Education and Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to convene a task force to determine best practices and develop model policies and procedures for all threat assessment teams at public institutions of higher education and consider and make legislative recommendations on the appropriate qualifications of members of such threat assessment. The task force is required to submit its findings to the Governor and Chairmen of the House Committee for Courts of Justice, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, the House Committee on Education, and the Senate Committee on Education and Health no later than December 1, 2023.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 23.1-805 of the Code of Virginia, relating to public institutions of higher education; threat assessment teams; powers and duties.

23103510D

S.B. 955

Patron: Ruff

Public institutions of higher education; tuition grants; Virginia National Guard. Provides that public institutions of higher education may enter into special arrangement contracts with the Virginia Department of Military Affairs for the purpose of providing reduced rate tuition charges for any member of the Virginia National Guard receiving state tuition assistance grants. The bill also provides that in order to be eligible for such state tuition assistance grant a member of the Virginia National Guard must have two years remaining on his service obligation to the Virginia National Guard as of the last day of the last term or semester for which tuition assistance is requested. Current law provides that as a condition of being awarded a tuition assistance grant a member of the Virginia National Guard will incur a two-year service obligation to commence after the last day of the term or semester for which tuition assistance is requested.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 23.1-508 and 23.1-610 of the Code of Virginia, relating to institutions of higher education; tuition grants; Virginia National Guard.

23102958D

S.B. 1020

Patron: Edwards

Virginia Museum of Transportation; established. Establishes the Virginia Museum of Transportation as a public entity and educational institution under the Commonwealth governed by a 15-member board of trustees.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 23.1-101 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 32 of Title 23.1 an article numbered 8, consisting of sections numbered 23.1-3229 through 23.1-3232, relating to Virginia Museum of Transportation; established.

23102483D

S.B. 1030

Patron: Norment

Public institutions of higher education; duties of governing board; student tuition and fees; requests for certain information. Requires the governing board of each public institution of higher education to adopt policies and procedures requiring the release to each student or, if such student is a dependent, the parent of each student enrolled at such institution of an itemized list of how such student's individual annual tuition and other mandatory fees are allocated, including the exact amount of such student's tuition and mandatory fees that are used to subsidize financial aid grants and scholarships for other students at such institution. The bill requires such policies and procedures to include a provision allowing any student or the parent of any student to opt out of receiving such itemized list.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 23.1-1303 of the Code of Virginia, relating to public institutions of higher education; duties of governing board; requests for certain information relating to student tuition and fees.

23104036D

S.B. 1077

Patron: Ruff

Richard Bland College; governance. Removes the authority of the board of visitors of The College of William and Mary in Virginia to supervise, manage, and control Richard Bland College and establishes the 12-member board of visitors of Richard Bland College to generally direct the affairs of the College, including appointing all teachers and fixing their salaries, providing for the employment of other personnel as required, and caring for and preserving all property belonging to Richard Bland College. The bill provides for the transfer of relevant property and rights thereto, contracts, and duties from the board of visitors of The College of William and Mary in Virginia to the board of visitors of Richard Bland College. The bill also requires the board of visitors of Richard Bland College to focus its efforts on preparing students for academic and career success and permits the board to take several enumerated actions in furtherance of such efforts.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 23.1-2802 of the Code of Virginia; to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 23.1 a chapter numbered 21.1, consisting of sections numbered 23.1-2105 through 23.1-2109; and to repeal § 23.1-2806 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Richard Bland College; governance.

23103593D

S.B. 1098

Patron: Norment

Public institutions of higher education; new programs of instruction; approval of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and certain legislative committees required. Prohibits any public institution of higher education from implementing a new program of instruction or implementing a new curriculum for an existing program of instruction without first obtaining the approval of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the House Committee on Education, and the Senate Committee on Education and Health.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 23.1-901.1, relating to public institutions of higher education; new programs of instruction; approval of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and certain legislative committees required.

23101223D

S.B. 1193

Patron: Reeves

Public institutions of higher education; foreign governments; programs and grants. Prohibits employees at public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth from participating in Chinese-sponsored talent recruitment programs or receiving Chinese-funded grants. The bill also requires each employee at such institutions to disclose to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia all financial payments received from foreign governments.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 23.1-111, relating to public institutions of higher education; foreign governments; programs and grants.

23101134D

S.B. 1197

Patron: Reeves


Public institutions of higher education; transparency. Imposes several requirements on governing boards of public institutions of higher education relating to transparency, including requirements to (i) report by September 1 of each year to the Chairmen of the House Committees on Appropriations and Education and the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and on Education and Health the number of diversity officers and government relations officers employed by the institution and the salary of each such officer and the total value of any contract with any outside individual or entity to provide lobbying services for the institution; (ii) record video of each meeting of the full board and its committees and make publicly available on the institution's website in a position of prominence a link that permits any member of the public to livestream each meeting of the full board and its committees and, within 10 business days after the date of any meeting of the full board or any of its committees, view video recordings for each such meeting; and (iii) prior to any vote to enter into or renew a contract for the employment of the chief executive officer of the institution, hold a public meeting to provide an opportunity for written, virtual, and in-person public comment on such contract at least 120 days prior to any such meeting at which it will vote to enter into or renew such contract and provide notice of such public meeting in accordance with relevant law. The bill also requires each public institution of higher education to make publicly available on the institution's website in a position of prominence and present annually to the governing board of the institution an annual report regarding foundations associated with the institution setting forth foundation expenses that includes the percentage of expenditures used for diversity, equity, and opportunity compensation, government relations and lobbying activities, and compensation of the chief executive officer.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 23.1-102.1, 23.1-108, and 23.1-1303 of the Code of Virginia, relating to public institutions of higher education; transparency.

23101489D

S.B. 1202

Patron: Reeves

In-state tuition eligibility; certain non-Virginia students who are members of the Virginia National Guard. Declares eligible for in-state tuition at a public institution of higher education, regardless of domicile, any non-Virginia student who is a member of the Virginia National Guard and who is eligible pursuant to relevant law for a grant in the amount of the difference between the full cost of tuition and any other educational benefits for which he is eligible as a member of the Virginia National Guard.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 23.1-506 of the Code of Virginia, relating to in-state tuition eligibility; certain non-Virginia students who are members of the Virginia National Guard.

23103050D

S.B. 1307

Patron: Deeds

University of Virginia; board of visitors; membership. Expands the membership of the University of Virginia board of visitors to include two nonvoting advisory members consisting of one faculty member of the University and one staff member of the University. The advisory faculty member shall be selected by the University faculty and the advisory staff member shall be selected by the University staff in the manner deemed appropriate by the faculty and staff, respectively.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 23.1-2201 of the Code of Virginia, relating to University of Virginia; board of visitors; membership.

23103801D

S.B. 1356

Patron: Reeves


Public institutions of higher education; admissions; Virginia Promise to Veterans Act; report. Establishes the Virginia Promise to Veterans Act for the purpose of removing barriers to higher education for veterans of the uniformed services, as defined in the bill, and assisting such veterans in making the transition to civilian life in the Commonwealth. In furtherance of this purpose, the bill directs the governing board of each public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth to provide for the guaranteed acceptance of any eligible veteran applicant, defined in the bill as any applicant who served as a member of the uniformed services and (i) graduated from a high school in the Commonwealth or (ii) served in the uniformed services while assigned to a location in the Commonwealth and who otherwise meets the admissions requirements to enroll as an undergraduate student at such institution. The bill requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, in collaboration with the Virginia Community College System, to develop guidelines relating to the administration of the provisions of the chapter for the governing board of each public institution of higher education and to develop guidelines for potential eligible veteran applicants, including any additional resources available to eligible veterans applying under the Act.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 23.1 a chapter numbered 3.1, consisting of sections numbered 23.1-311 through 23.1-314, relating to public institutions of higher education; admissions; Virginia Promise to Veterans Act; report.

23101016D

S.B. 1358

Patron: Norment


Public institutions of higher education; duties of governing boards; student enrollment growth. Directs the governing board of each public institution of higher education to adopt policies providing that the percentage of students enrolled at such public institution of higher education must be capped at a two percent increase over a biennium.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 23.1-1303 of the Code of Virginia, relating to public institutions of higher education; duties of governing boards; student enrollment growth.

23101221D

S.B. 1373

Patron: Vogel

Institutions of higher education; human trafficking awareness and prevention training required. Directs the governing board of each public institution of higher education to develop and implement policies requiring a trauma-informed human trafficking awareness and prevention training program be provided to and completed by all first-year students as a part of such institution's first-year orientation program. The bill also directs the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to encourage private institutions of higher education to develop and implement policies to provide such a human trafficking awareness and prevention training program as a part of their first-year orientation programs.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 2 of Chapter 8 of Title 23.1 a section numbered 23.1-808.1, relating to institutions of higher education; human trafficking awareness and prevention training required.

23102050D

S.B. 1386

Patron: Deeds

Public institutions of higher education; tuition and financial aid; dependency override application form. Requires each public institution of higher education to create and maintain a form by which a student may apply for a dependency override, defined in the bill as the documented determination by a financial aid administrator pursuant to relevant federal law that, for the purposes of tuition and financial aid eligibility determinations, a student is an independent student by reason of other unusual circumstances. The bill requires such form to (i) be published electronically on the financial aid page of the institution's website; (ii) clearly explain, in language understandable to a student enrolled at the institution, the purposes of a dependency override, potential circumstances that may qualify a student for a dependency override, and common circumstances that do not qualify a student for a dependency override; (iii) explicitly include, in language understandable to a student enrolled at the institution, a statement that institutions of higher education are permitted to accept a range of documents to substantiate dependency override applications, including those documents specified by relevant federal law; and (iv) explicitly include, in language understandable to a student enrolled at the institution, the option to apply for a dependency override based on certain factors enumerated in the bill.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 23.1-501.1, relating to public institutions of higher education; tuition and financial aid; dependency override application form.

23103844D

S.B. 1450

Patron: Norment

Richard Bland College; governance. Removes the authority of the board of visitors of The College of William and Mary in Virginia to supervise, manage, and control Richard Bland College and establishes the 12-member board of visitors of Richard Bland College to generally direct the affairs of the College, including appointing all teachers and fixing their salaries, providing for the employment of other personnel as required, and caring for and preserving all property belonging to the College.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 23.1-2802 of the Code of Virginia; to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 23.1 a chapter numbered 21.1, consisting of sections numbered 23.1-2105 through 23.1-2108; and to repeal § 23.1-2806 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Richard Bland College; governance.

23104165D