# Virginia HB1221: Higher ed. financial aid programs; amends provisions, Va. Commonwealth Award established, report. Virginia HB1221, Higher ed. financial aid programs; amends provisions, Va. Commonwealth Award established, report., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Briana D. Sewell (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-06 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0272)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1221-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB1221 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Higher ed. financial aid programs; amends provisions, Va. Commonwealth Award established, report. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-14 - Last action: 2026-04-06, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0272) - Sponsor: Briana D. Sewell (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 11 (270 yes, 100 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary Public institutions of higher education; financial aid review and consolidation; Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program and Fund; Virginia Commonwealth Award established; work group; report. Amends several provisions relating to higher education financial aid programs for the purpose of establishing the Virginia Commonwealth Award in the Code of Virginia and consolidating the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program and Fund with the Virginia Commonwealth Award. Currently, the Virginia Commonwealth Award is established and administered only in the Virginia Administrative Code. In consolidating and establishing such financial aid programs as the Virginia Commonwealth Award, the bill codifies several definitions and provisions relating to award eligibility and renewal for undergraduate students and graduate students. The bill also repeals a provision of law establishing the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Fund. The bill directs the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to promulgate emergency regulations for the administration of financial aid in accordance with the provisions of the bill by April 1, 2027. The bill also directs the Secretary of Education to (i) establish a work group to conduct a comprehensive review of higher education financial aid systems and processes in the Commonwealth and make recommendations on strategies for maximizing the efficacy and impact of state financial aid appropriations on accessibility and affordability of and student outcomes in higher education in the Commonwealth and (ii) submit to the chairs of the applicable committees of the General Assembly by July 1, 2027, a report on the work group's findings and recommendations. Finally, the bill provides for the gradual phase-out of the award of grants under the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program by (a) prohibiting any first-time students from being offered a grant under the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program beginning with first-time students enrolled in the fall semester of 2027 and (b) permitting any public institution of higher education to provide for the annual renewal of grant awards under such program for no more than three subsequent award years, or up to a total of four award years, to any student who receives a grant during the 2026–2027 school year and continues to meet the requirements for grant renewal set forth in applicable law. This bill is identical to SB 167. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Graduate students get school-set college grants: benefit, high. Graduate students at Virginia public colleges can qualify for Commonwealth Awards through full-time enrollment in a federally aid-eligible program. Enrollment must meet this rule on or after the term’s census date, when enrollment is locked for aid purposes. Students must show financial need or mee… - New grants for Virginia public college undergraduates: benefit, high. The law creates Virginia Commonwealth Awards to help pay public college costs; grants can go directly to schools for students. Undergraduates must meet Virginia residency rules, show financial need, and attend a federally aid-eligible program at least half-time. Enrollment is checked on or after th… - Old college grants end; renewals remain limited: mixed, high. Starting with first-time students enrolling in fall 2027, public colleges cannot offer new Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program grants. Students who received these grants in the 2026–2027 school year can keep renewing under the former renewal requirements. These students can receive up to three a… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Briana D. Sewell (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-10 | Senate | Finance and Appropriations Substitute receded by Senate | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2026-03-06 | House | Senate substitute rejected by House | fail | 3 | 94 | | | 2026-03-04 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-03-04 | Senate | Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-03-03 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-03-03 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-03-03 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute | pass | 14 | 0 | | | 2026-02-19 | Senate | Reported from Education and Health and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 | | | 2026-02-05 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 91 | 6 | | | 2026-01-30 | House | Reported from Appropriations | pass | 21 | 0 | | | 2026-01-28 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 7 | 0 | | ## Actions (34) - 2026-04-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0272) (Governor) - 2026-04-06: Approved by Governor-Chapter 272 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor) - 2026-03-31: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1221) (House) - 2026-03-31: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-03-31: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 (House) - 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1221ER) (House) - 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House) - 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Finance and Appropriations Substitute receded by Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-06: Senate substitute rejected by House (3-Y 94-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-05: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1221) (House) - 2026-03-04: Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Committee substitute printed 26109059D-S1 (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Read third time (Senate) - 2026-03-03: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-03-03: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-03: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-03-03: Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (14-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-19: Reported from Education and Health and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-06: Referred to Committee on Education and Health (Senate) - 2026-02-06: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Read third time and passed House (91-Y 6-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-04: Read second time and engrossed (House) - 2026-02-04: Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar (House) - 2026-02-03: Read first time (House) - 2026-01-30: Reported from Appropriations (21-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-01-28: Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-01-26: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1221) (House) - 2026-01-23: Assigned HAPP sub: Higher Education (House) - 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee on Appropriations (House) - 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105155D (House) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217227.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217226.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210518.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210517.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191983.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191982.PDF) - Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088446.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088444.PDF) ## Related bills - HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed) - HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed) - HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed) - HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed) ## Sources - [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217227.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217226.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210518.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210517.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191983.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191982.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088446.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088444.PDF) ## Related - [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026) - [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026) - [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026) - [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026) - [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026) - [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026) - [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills) - [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1221-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).