VirginiaHB12082026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Public education; early childhood care and education, child care access calculations, report.

Sponsored By: Briana D. Sewell (Democratic)

Became Law

Summary

Public education; early childhood care and education; child care access calculations; report. Requires the Department of Education to establish and maintain calculations for the provision of early childhood care and education services based on cost of quality rate per child, actual data from the prior year, an estimate of parental demand and choice preferences based on historic growth trends and current eligibility criteria, and an estimate of the number of slots to be added to support local or regional economic development efforts and public-private partnerships focused on increasing the supply of child care services, giving priority to localities or regions identified as child care deserts, as determined by the Department. The bill also contains several provisions relating to the use and appropriation of funds as applicable to such calculations, including (i) providing that the calculations shall not obligate the General Assembly to a specific appropriation, (ii) requiring the calculations to be used to provide information to guide the General Assembly in making decisions about the proportion of parental demand for and supply of early childhood care and education services to be addressed and level of appropriation required to address such demand, and (iii) providing that the annual overall funding available for slots shall be subject to appropriation as determined by the General Assembly. The bill also provides that if waitlists for slots at early childhood care and education sites remain, up to $5 million from prior-year unexpended state general funds appropriated for such purpose in a general appropriation act may be carried forward to the current fiscal year to temporarily provide additional slots during the current fiscal year solely to reduce or eliminate waitlists, unless the general appropriation act authorizes a greater amount to be carried forward and that such prior-year funds shall not be used to increase the base amount of funding required in the subsequent fiscal year and the Department shall monitor program utilization and attrition to ensure that no families will lose access at the end of the current fiscal year. Finally, the bill requires the Department to annually submit to the Commission on Early Childhood Care and Education and post on its website a report on the data used to calculate the minimum funding and number of slots for the calculations in accordance with the provisions of the bill. This bill is identical to SB 134.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

One statewide child care system

Virginia now runs one unified early childhood system through the Board of Education, the Superintendent, and the Department of Education. It brings together public preschool (VPI), licensed child care, and some unlicensed programs. The goal is easier access to quality care so children enter kindergarten healthy and ready. Families get a clearer, single system to find preschool and child care.

Child care subsidies for more families

The Child Care Subsidy Program covers each child under 13 when the family qualifies. Your family income must be at or below 85% of the state median income. Your family must include at least one child age five or younger who has not started kindergarten. You must also meet the program’s other rules.

Transparent planning to add child care slots

By May 15 each year, local and regional leaders report how many VPI, Mixed Delivery, and Subsidy slots they need. The Department then uses per‑child cost benchmarks and parent demand to plan slots, with priority for child care deserts and regions tied to economic growth. It reallocates available funded Subsidy and Mixed Delivery slots by July 1 and adjusts after fall enrollment based on family choices. Federal funds (like Head Start and federal child care dollars) must be used before state funds. By November 15, the Department reports two‑year state funding needs, and each October it posts the data behind these slot and funding numbers.

Temporary funds to cut waitlists

If waitlists remain after using current‑year funds, the state can carry forward up to $5 million from the prior year to add temporary slots. These dollars only reduce or clear waitlists and do not raise next year’s base funding. The Department must spend current‑year funds first. It also monitors usage and attrition so families do not lose care at the end of the year.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Briana D. Sewell

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 361 • No: 144

Senate vote 3/14/2026

Conference report agreed to by Senate

Yes: 39 • No: 0

House vote 3/14/2026

Conference report agreed to by House

Yes: 76 • No: 20

Senate vote 3/5/2026

Senate insisted on substitute

Yes: 38 • No: 0

House vote 3/3/2026

Senate substitute rejected by House

Yes: 0 • No: 98

Senate vote 2/27/2026

Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote

Yes: 37 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/27/2026

Education and Health Substitute agreed to

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/26/2026

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/26/2026

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/25/2026

Reported from Finance and Appropriations

Yes: 15 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/19/2026

Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations

Yes: 15 • No: 0

House vote 2/13/2026

Read third time and passed House

Yes: 74 • No: 22

House vote 2/9/2026

Reported from Education with substitute

Yes: 18 • No: 3

House vote 2/4/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations

Yes: 9 • No: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0456)

    4/8/2026Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 456 (effective 7/1/2026)

    4/8/2026Governor
  3. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1208)

    3/31/2026House
  4. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    3/31/2026Governor
  5. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

    3/31/2026House
  6. Signed by Speaker

    3/31/2026House
  7. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1208ER)

    3/30/2026House
  8. Enrolled

    3/30/2026House
  9. Signed by President

    3/30/2026Senate
  10. Conference report agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

    3/14/2026Senate
  11. Conference report agreed to by House (76-Y 20-N 0-A)

    3/14/2026House
  12. Conference Report released

    3/14/2026
  13. House Conferees: Sewell, Askew, Kent

    3/10/2026House
  14. Conferees appointed by House

    3/10/2026House
  15. Conferees appointed by Senate

    3/9/2026Senate
  16. Senate Conferees: Locke, Favola, Pillion

    3/9/2026Senate
  17. House acceded to request

    3/6/2026House
  18. Senate insisted on substitute (38-Y 0-N 0-A)

    3/5/2026Senate
  19. Senate requested conference committee

    3/5/2026Senate
  20. Senate substitute rejected by House

    3/3/2026House
  21. Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (37-Y 0-N 0-A)

    2/27/2026Senate
  22. Education and Health Substitute agreed to

    2/27/2026Senate
  23. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

    2/27/2026Senate
  24. Read third time

    2/27/2026Senate
  25. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

    2/26/2026Senate

Bill Text

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