# Virginia HB1656: Public secondary schools; interscholastic athletics; certain recruitment policies and practices prohibited.

Virginia HB1656, Public secondary schools; interscholastic athletics; certain recruitment policies and practices prohibited., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Dan I. Helmer (Democratic); status failed, last action 2025-02-07 (Failed to pass) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1656-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1656
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Public secondary schools; interscholastic athletics; certain recruitment policies and practices prohibited.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-03
- Last action: 2025-02-07, Failed to pass
- Sponsor: Dan I. Helmer (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (16 yes, 13 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Public secondary schools; interscholastic athletics; certain recruitment policies and practices prohibited. Prohibits any school board employee, including any interscholastic athletics coach or director, from implementing any policy or engaging in any practice whereby the employee (i) designates any secondary school student-athlete as homeless pursuant to the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, as amended, solely for the purpose of recruiting such student-athlete to transfer to the local school division to participate in interscholastic athletics or (ii) receives money or other things of value from any individual or entity, including any institution of higher education or any intercollegiate athletics program at such an institution, solely for the purpose of recruiting a secondary school student-athlete to participate in intercollegiate athletics.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Dan I. Helmer (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-01-15 | House | Reported from Education | pass | 11 | 10 |   |
| 2025-01-14 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 5 | 3 | 1 |

## Actions (22)

- 2025-02-07: Failed to pass (House)
- 2025-02-07: No further action taken (House)
- 2025-02-04: Passed by for the day (House)
- 2025-02-03: Passed by for the day (House)
- 2025-02-03: Passed by for the day (House)
- 2025-01-31: Passed by for the day (House)
- 2025-01-30: Passed by for the day (House)
- 2025-01-29: Passed by for the day (House)
- 2025-01-28: Passed by for the day (House)
- 2025-01-27: Passed by for the day (House)
- 2025-01-24: Passed by for the day (House)
- 2025-01-23: Passed by for the day (House)
- 2025-01-22: Passed by for the day (House)
- 2025-01-22: Read second time (House)
- 2025-01-21: Passed by for the day (House)
- 2025-01-20: Passed by for the day (House)
- 2025-01-17: Read first time (House)
- 2025-01-15: Reported from Education (11-Y 10-N) (House)
- 2025-01-14: Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 3-N) (House)
- 2025-01-10: Assigned Educ sub: K-12 Subcommittee (House)
- 2025-01-03: Referred to Committee on Education (House)
- 2025-01-03: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25103032D (House)

## Bill text

- Introduced, 2025-01-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012502.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012499.PDF)

## Related bills

- HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted)
- SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed)
- HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed)
- HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed)
- SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed)
- HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor)

## Sources
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012502.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012499.PDF)

## Related
- [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025)
- [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025)
- [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025)
- [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025)
- [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025)
- [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1656-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).