# Virginia HB1972: Early childhood care & education; statewide unified public-private system, capacity & family choice.

Virginia HB1972, Early childhood care & education; statewide unified public-private system, capacity & family choice., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Debra D. Gardner (Democratic); status failed, last action 2025-02-17 (Passed by indefinitely in Finance and Appropriations with letter (14-Y 0-N)) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1972-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1972
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Early childhood care & education; statewide unified public-private system, capacity & family choice.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-07
- Last action: 2025-02-17, Passed by indefinitely in Finance and Appropriations with letter (14-Y 0-N)
- Sponsor: Debra D. Gardner (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Finance and Appropriations
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 5 (91 yes, 65 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Statewide unified public-private system for early childhood care and education in the Commonwealth; state goal; capacity and family choice. Requires the statewide, unified, public-private system for early childhood care and education in the Commonwealth to be established with the goal of increasing and maintaining capacity systemwide to provide each family with meaningful access to high-quality and affordable choices among publicly funded, federally funded, mixed delivery, and private providers.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Debra D. Gardner (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-17 | Senate | Passed by indefinitely in Finance and Appropriations with letter | pass | 14 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-13 | Senate | Reported from Education and Health and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 9 | 5 |   |
| 2025-02-04 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 51 | 47 |   |
| 2025-01-29 | House | Reported from Education with substitute | pass | 12 | 10 |   |
| 2025-01-22 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 5 | 3 | 1 |

## Actions (18)

- 2025-02-17: Passed by indefinitely in Finance and Appropriations with letter (14-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-13: Reported from Education and Health and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-10: Assigned Education sub: Public Education (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: Referred to Committee on Education and Health (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Read third time and passed House (51-Y 47-N) (House)
- 2025-02-03: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2025-02-03: Education Substitute agreed to (House)
- 2025-02-03: Read second time (House)
- 2025-01-31: Read first time (House)
- 2025-01-30: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1972) (House)
- 2025-01-30: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1972) (House)
- 2025-01-29: Committee substitute printed 25105869D-H1 (House)
- 2025-01-29: Reported from Education with substitute (12-Y 10-N) (House)
- 2025-01-22: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 3-N) (House)
- 2025-01-13: Assigned Educ sub: Early Childhood (House)
- 2025-01-07: Referred to Committee on Education (House)
- 2025-01-07: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-13-2025 25104469D (House)

## Bill text

- Substitute, 2025-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1032803.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1032802.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-01-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1025711.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1025710.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-01-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014303.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014302.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
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1032803.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1032802.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1025711.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1025710.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014303.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014302.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1972-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).