HB 461 VA

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Became Law

Special education; student age range restrictions in educational settings. Prohibits any student with a disability in grades kindergarten through six from being regularly assigned to any educational setting, including any specialized educational setting, in which the maximum age range exceeds four years unless the student's individualized education program (IEP) team determines that an exception is appropriate and justifies such exception in the student's IEP. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

• Laura Jane Cohen Democratic · primary

1. Jan 12, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101364D · lower
2. Jan 12, 2026 Referred to Committee on Education · lower
3. Feb 2, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB461) · lower
4. Feb 5, 2026 Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee · lower
5. Feb 9, 2026 House subcommittee offered · lower
6. Feb 10, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (9-Y 1-N) · lower
7. Feb 11, 2026 House committee offered · lower
8. Feb 11, 2026 Reported from Education with substitute (16-Y 5-N) · lower
9. Feb 11, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26107653D-H1 · lower
10. Feb 11, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB461) · lower
11. Feb 13, 2026 Read first time · lower
12. Feb 16, 2026 Read second time · lower
13. Feb 16, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
14. Feb 16, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
15. Feb 17, 2026 Read third time and passed House (69-Y 28-N 0-A) · lower
16. Feb 18, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) · upper
17. Feb 18, 2026 Referred to Committee on Education and Health · upper
18. Feb 26, 2026 Assigned Education sub: Public Education · upper
19. Feb 26, 2026 Senate subcommittee offered · upper
20. Mar 5, 2026 Reported from Education and Health with amendment (9-Y 6-N) · upper
21. Mar 6, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
22. Mar 6, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
23. Mar 6, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
24. Mar 9, 2026 Passed by for the day · upper
25. Mar 10, 2026 Read third time · upper
26. Mar 10, 2026 Education and Health Amendment agreed to · upper
27. Mar 10, 2026 Engrossed by Senate as amended · upper
28. Mar 10, 2026 Passed Senate with amendment (21-Y 19-N 0-A) · upper
29. Mar 11, 2026 Senate amendment agreed to by House (71-Y 28-N 0-A) · lower
30. Mar 30, 2026 Enrolled · lower
31. Mar 30, 2026 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB461ER) · lower
32. Mar 30, 2026 Signed by President · upper
33. Mar 31, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB461) · lower
34. Mar 31, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
35. Mar 31, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 · lower
36. Mar 31, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
37. Apr 13, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 617 (effective 7/1/2026) · executive
38. Apr 13, 2026 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0617) · 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
• Senate Amendment · HTML
• Education and Health Amendment · HTML
• Education and Health Amendment · HTML
• Education Substitute · PDF
• Education Substitute · HTML
• Education Substitute · PDF
• Education Substitute · HTML
• K-12 Subcommittee Subcommittee Amendment · HTML
• Education Amendment · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML