# Virginia HB263: Certified school library specialists; Superintendent of Public Instruction to employ in DOE. Virginia HB263, Certified school library specialists; Superintendent of Public Instruction to employ in DOE., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Shelly A. Simonds (Democratic); status passed house, last action 2026-02-19 (Continued to 2027 in Education and Health (14-Y 1-N)) (as of 2026-10-13). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB263-2026 - As of: 2026-10-13 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB263 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Certified school library specialists; Superintendent of Public Instruction to employ in DOE. - Status: passed house - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-09 - Last action: 2026-02-19, Continued to 2027 in Education and Health (14-Y 1-N) - Sponsor: Shelly A. Simonds (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Education and Health - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 6 (142 yes, 28 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Superintendent of Public Instruction; employment of certified school library specialists. Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to employ in the Department of Education at least one certified school library specialist who shall have several duties enumerated in the bill, including (i) providing leadership and technical assistance with the implementation and use of information literacy skills to school divisions, Department staff, and other stakeholders to support student achievement; (ii) directing the implementation of state and national school library standards and consulting with and providing technical assistance to local school divisions relating to such standards; (iii) collaborating on various grants and other initiatives that promote student literacy through school library programs throughout the Commonwealth; (iv) supporting student learning through instructional programs in which students are required to demonstrate information literacy, digital literacy and fluency, and effective use of technology and instructional programs that incorporate science, technology, engineering, and math learning; and (v) providing the Department, the Board of Education, the General Assembly, and school boards with support relating to student learning through the use of school library standards and library resources. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Shelly A. Simonds (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-02-19 | Senate | Continued to 2027 in Education and Health | pass | 14 | 1 | | | 2026-02-06 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 74 | 22 | | | 2026-02-02 | House | Reported from Appropriations | pass | 22 | 0 | | | 2026-01-30 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 6 | 0 | | | 2026-01-28 | House | Reported from Education and referred to Appropriations | pass | 17 | 4 | | | 2026-01-27 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations | pass | 9 | 1 | | ## Actions (15) - 2026-02-19: Continued to 2027 in Education and Health (14-Y 1-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-09: Referred to Committee on Education and Health (Senate) - 2026-02-09: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2026-02-06: Read third time and passed House (74-Y 22-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-05: Read second time and engrossed (House) - 2026-02-04: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-02: Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-01-30: Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-01-28: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB263) (House) - 2026-01-28: Reported from Education and referred to Appropriations (17-Y 4-N) (House) - 2026-01-28: Assigned HAPP sub: Elementary & Secondary Education (House) - 2026-01-27: Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations (9-Y 1-N) (House) - 2026-01-23: Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee (House) - 2026-01-09: Referred to Committee on Education (House) - 2026-01-09: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101218D (House) ## Bill text - Introduced, 2026-01-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083317.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083316.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 - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083317.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083316.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-HB263-2026 (as of 2026-10-13).