SB 394 VA

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Became Law

Department of Education; artificial intelligence system use in instructional settings; development of AIS safety guidance required; AIS Innovation in Education Pilot Program established; report. Requires the Department of Education, in consultation with school divisions and other relevant stakeholders, to compile information on current uses of artificial intelligence systems (AIS) for student instruction in public schools in the Commonwealth and to establish and post in a publicly accessible location on its website guidance for the safe, ethical, and equitable use of AIS in instructional settings in public elementary and secondary schools. The bill requires each school board to establish, implement, and enforce policies consistent with the guidance developed by the Department in accordance with the provisions of the bill. The bill also directs the Department to establish and oversee the AIS Innovation in Education Pilot Program for the purpose of funding, evaluating, and scaling innovative uses of AIS in public elementary and secondary schools by providing support to school divisions in piloting AIS applications for instruction, tutoring, student engagement, operational efficiency, and teacher support and to submit an annual report to the Chairs of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by December 1. The Pilot Program has an expiration date of July 1, 2030. This bill is identical to HB 1186.

• Stella G. Pekarsky Democratic · primary

1. Jan 13, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105454D · upper
2. Jan 13, 2026 Referred to Committee on Education and Health · upper
3. Feb 2, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB394) · upper
4. Feb 5, 2026 Assigned Education sub: Public Education · upper
5. Feb 12, 2026 Reported from Education and Health and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) · upper
6. Feb 12, 2026 Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) · upper
7. Feb 13, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
8. Feb 13, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (35-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
9. Feb 13, 2026 Passed by for the day · upper
10. Feb 16, 2026 Read second time · upper
11. Feb 16, 2026 Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
12. Feb 16, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
13. Feb 16, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
14. Feb 16, 2026 Read third time and passed Senate (38-Y 1-N 0-A) · upper
15. Feb 19, 2026 Placed on Calendar · lower
16. Feb 19, 2026 Read first time · lower
17. Feb 19, 2026 Referred to Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation · lower
18. Feb 23, 2026 Referred from Communications, Technology and Innovation and referred to Education (Voice Vote) · lower
19. Feb 26, 2026 Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee · lower
20. Mar 3, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (9-Y 1-N) · lower
21. Mar 3, 2026 House subcommittee offered · lower
22. Mar 4, 2026 Reported from Education with substitute (20-Y 1-N) · lower
23. Mar 4, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26108797D-H1 · lower
24. Mar 5, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB394) · upper
25. Mar 6, 2026 Read second time · lower
26. Mar 9, 2026 Read third time · lower
27. Mar 9, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
28. Mar 9, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
29. Mar 9, 2026 Passed House with substitute (96-Y 1-N 0-A) · lower
30. Mar 10, 2026 House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A) · upper
31. Mar 11, 2026 House insisted on substitute · lower
32. Mar 11, 2026 House requested conference committee · lower
33. Mar 12, 2026 Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
34. Mar 12, 2026 Conferees appointed by Senate · upper
35. Mar 12, 2026 Senate Conferees: Pekarsky, Favola, Head · upper
36. Mar 12, 2026 Conferees appointed by House · lower
37. Mar 12, 2026 House Conferees: Rasoul, Maldonado, Cherry · lower
38. Mar 12, 2026 Conference Report released · legislature
39. Mar 13, 2026 Conference report agreed to by Senate (37-Y 2-N 0-A) · upper
40. Mar 13, 2026 Conference report agreed to by House (95-Y 0-N 0-A) · lower
41. Mar 30, 2026 Enrolled · upper
42. Mar 30, 2026 Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB394ER) · upper
43. Mar 30, 2026 Signed by President · upper
44. Mar 31, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB394) · upper
45. Mar 31, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
46. Mar 31, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 · upper
47. Mar 31, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
48. Apr 13, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 943 (effective 7/1/2026) · executive

The published texts of this bill as it moves through the legislature. Each links to the official document on the state legislature site. Data from OpenStates.

• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · HTML
• Conference Report · HTML
• Conference Report Substitute · PDF
• Conference Report Substitute · HTML
• Education Substitute · PDF
• Education Substitute · HTML
• Education Substitute · PDF
• Education Substitute · HTML
• K-12 Subcommittee Subcommittee Substitute · PDF
• K-12 Subcommittee Subcommittee Substitute · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML