HB 478 VA

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Became Law

Diploma seal for excellence in fine arts established; industry-recognized workforce credential. Requires the Board of Education to establish criteria for awarding a high school diploma seal for excellence in fine arts, which may include a sequence of coursework, cumulative grade point average in such sequence of coursework, or any other performance-based criteria that the Board deems appropriate. The bill also requires the Board to add such diploma seal to its list of industry-recognized workforce credentials for the purpose of satisfying the career and technical education credential option for high school graduation.

• Vivian E. Watts Democratic · primary

1. Jan 12, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102498D · lower
2. Jan 12, 2026 Referred to Committee on Education · lower
3. Jan 29, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB478) · lower
4. Jan 30, 2026 Assigned HED sub: Early Childhood and Innovation · lower
5. Feb 4, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 1-N) · lower
6. Feb 9, 2026 Reported from Education (17-Y 3-N 1-A) · lower
7. Feb 11, 2026 Read first time · lower
8. Feb 12, 2026 Read second time and engrossed · lower
9. Feb 13, 2026 Read third time and passed House (68-Y 28-N 0-A) · lower
10. Feb 16, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) · upper
11. Feb 16, 2026 Referred to Committee on Education and Health · upper
12. Feb 19, 2026 Assigned Education sub: Public Education · upper
13. Feb 26, 2026 Reported from Education and Health (15-Y 0-N) · upper
14. Feb 27, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
15. Feb 27, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
16. Feb 27, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
17. Mar 2, 2026 Read third time · upper
18. Mar 2, 2026 Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
19. Mar 5, 2026 Enrolled · lower
20. Mar 5, 2026 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB478ER) · lower
21. Mar 5, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB478) · lower
22. Mar 5, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
23. Mar 5, 2026 Signed by President · upper
24. Mar 10, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 · lower
25. Mar 10, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
26. Apr 6, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 152 (effective 7/1/2026) · executive
27. Apr 6, 2026 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0152) · 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.

• Chaptered · PDF
• Chaptered · HTML
• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML