Legislative Update for VA Assn of Colleges of Nursing
Friday March 7, 2025


BillPatronTitleSynopsisUpcoming HearingsStatus
HB 2529 Michael J. Jones; Dan I. Helmer Higher Educational Institutions, Public; Endowments; Certain Divestment Practices Prohibited. Public institutions of higher education; endowments; investment management; certain divestment practices prohibited. Prohibits any public institution of higher education or any affiliated foundation, investment management company, or other entity that is responsible for managing or investing endowment funds of the institution from establishing or implementing any policy or practice of divesting from all investments in any country or territory that is not the subject of an active sanctions program administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. H Left in Rules (2/4)
HB 2548 Sam Rasoul Practical Nursing Programs, Certain; Transferability To Registered Nursing Programs, Etc. Certain practical nursing programs; common curriculum; transferability to registered nursing programs; pathway of stackable credentials. Requires the Virginia Community College System, in consultation with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the Board of Nursing, and representatives from associate-degree-granting public institutions of higher education that offer nursing programs, to develop a common curriculum for practical nursing programs that shall be implemented at each comprehensive community college in the System that offers a practical nursing program. The bill requires such common curriculum, to the extent possible, to (i) align with the degree requirements for registered nursing programs offered at associate-degree-granting public institutions of higher education and (ii) be transferable to each registered nursing program offered at an associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education. The bill requires each associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education that offers a registered nursing degree program to participate in a practical nursing program to registered nursing program transfer agreement with the System that aligns with the practical nursing program common curriculum established pursuant to the bill and permits any private institution of higher education that offers a registered nursing degree program to be consulted regarding and participate on a voluntary basis in such a transfer agreement. The bill also (a) requires the System to establish a pathway of stackable nursing credentials that consists of a practical nursing to associate registered nursing to bachelor of science in nursing program pathway; (b) directs the System to develop and implement the common curriculum for practical nursing programs by July 1, 2026; and (c) directs the System to submit a progress report to the chairs of the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Education by December 1, 2025. The provisions of the bill relating to the development of the common curriculum for practical nursing programs have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 953. H Senate substitute agreed to by House (97-Y 0-N) (2/19)
HB 2593 Kathy K.L. Tran Virginia College Access And Affordability Scholarship Fund; Established, Report. Commonwealth Savers Plan; State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; Virginia College Access and Affordability Scholarship Fund established; work group; report. Directs the transfer of actuarial surplus defined benefit prepaid tuition contract funds from the fund of the Commonwealth Savers Plan (the Plan) into a DB529 subfund established in the bill to be used for (i) a surplus rebate program and (ii) establishing the Virginia College Access and Affordability Scholarship Fund (the Access Fund). The surplus rebate program returns actuarial surplus funds, in $2,500 checks, to owners of a prepaid tuition contract who entered into such contract before July 1, 2019, and claim such rebate before July 1, 2026. The amount of rebates available shall not exceed $350 million. When claiming the rebate, the application allows such rebate amount to be applied to a new prepaid tuition contract or a Roth individual retirement account in lieu of the check. The bill establishes an Investment Board with investment and actuarial expertise to review and make recommendations to the General Assembly on each deposit from the DB529 Fund to the Access Fund. After an initial $500 million deposit from the DB529 subfund, dedicated assets of the Access Fund shall be invested and managed by the Plan. Funds in the Access Fund shall be used to establish a scholarship program to be managed and administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (the Council). The scholarship program provides scholarship awards to students enrolled in an eligible education program, defined in the bill, and a portion of the funds are to be devoted to college access resources or programs to assist low-income students, first generation college students, students from underrepresented communities, or other at-risk students with their introduction to the higher education system in Virginia, college applications, financial aid applications, and resources assisting with a successful transition from high school to college. The Council is required to report on the Access Fund and scholarship program no later than December 31 each year. Finally, the bill (a) directs the Council to establish a work group of higher education stakeholders to make recommendations on allocations of funds available through the Access Fund and scholarship program and directs the work group to report to the House Committees on Education and Appropriations and Senate Committees on Education and Health and Finance and Appropriations no later than November 1, 2025, and (b) prohibits the Plan from implementing or taking part in any initiatives relating to the accessibility or the aforementioned college access programs on or after July 1, 2025. H Left in Appropriations (2/4)
SB 1016 Mamie E. Locke; Stella G. Pekarsky; Danica A. Roem Hunger-free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program; Established, Report. Institutions of higher education; Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program established; report. Establishes the Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program to address student food insecurity at public institutions of higher education and eligible private institutions of higher education, as defined by the bill. The bill provides that the Program shall be managed by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and available for participation by public institutions of higher education and eligible private institutions of higher education; however, participation in the Program is optional for such institutions. Under the bill, if a public institution of higher education satisfies certain criteria set out in the bill, including creating initiatives on campus to address student food insecurity, it will receive a 'Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry' designation and the Council will award a grant to such institution. Any such institution that receives a grant under the bill is required to utilize the funds to support on-campus efforts and initiatives to eliminate student food insecurity at such institution through the maintenance and operation of the on-campus food pantry established pursuant to the Program. The bill requires the Council to submit a report to the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Education no later than two years after the establishment of the Program. This bill is identical to HB 2240. C Amended by conference committee (2/21)
SB 1247 Tara A. Durant Higher Educational Institutions, Public; Grants With Foreign Countries Of Concern Prohibited, Etc. Public institutions of higher education; certain grants from and partnerships and agreements with foreign countries of concern prohibited; report; civil penalty. Prohibits, except with the approval of the governing board of the institution of higher education or the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia under certain circumstances, any public institution of higher education from accepting any grant from or participating in any partnership or agreement with any foreign country of concern, as that term is defined in the bill. The bill requires the Council to establish and enforce mechanisms for compliance and penalties for noncompliance with such prohibition, which shall include civil penalties not to exceed $25,000 per offense and may include periodic institutional reporting until any such noncompliance is remedied by the institution. The bill requires each public institution of higher education, by December 1 of each year, to report to the General Assembly, the Governor, and the Council any grant that it accepted from or agreement or partnership in which it participated with a foreign country of concern during the previous fiscal year and the date on which such grant, agreement, or partnership is expected to terminate. S Passed by indefinitely in Education and Health (9-Y 6-N) (1/28)
SB 1257 Lamont Bagby Student & Campus Safety; Opioid Antagonist Administration Training For Resident Assistants Required. Public institutions of higher education; student and campus safety; training in opioid antagonist administration for resident assistants required. Requires each resident assistant in a student housing facility at a public institution of higher education to complete, prior to the commencement of his duties, training in the administration of an opioid antagonist to any student, faculty, or staff member who is believed to be experiencing or about to experience a life-threatening opioid overdose. The bill requires each public institution of higher education to adopt policies and procedures relating to the administration of an opioid antagonist by each resident assistant, including policies and procedures (i) requiring each resident assistant to complete such training pursuant to the provisions of the bill and (ii) arranging for the provision of such opioid antagonist administration training. S House Amendments agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N) (2/20)
SB 1363 Todd E. Pillion Health Professions, Board Of; Transfer Of Powers And Duties. Elimination of Board of Health Professions; transfer of powers and duties. Eliminates the Board of Health Professions and transfers certain powers and duties from the Board to the Department of Health Professions. G Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (3/5)