VirginiaHB27202025 Regular SessionHouse

Local school divisions, certain; flexibility relating to student transportation, sunset.

Sponsored By: Terry L. Austin (Republican)

To Governor

Summary

School boards; transportation alternatives; two-year pilot in small school divisions. Permits certain school boards to pursue certain student transportation alternatives for the next two school years and requires such school boards to report certain data on the implementation of such initiatives. The bill sets forth certain parameters and requirements for any student transportation alternatives pursued by a school board pursuant to the bill, including a requirement that any entity with which a school board contracts or that any school board utilizes for the purpose of providing any transportation alternative or supplementing any traditional transportation services meet and comply with any state and federal laws and regulations applicable to traditional transportation services, including (i) school bus operator training, hiring, and employment requirements; (ii) minimum insurance coverage requirements for any vehicles provided or utilized for such purposes; and (iii) requirements relating to liability of the school board in the event of any accident, injury, or property damage resulting from the operation of any vehicles provided or utilized for such purposes. Finally, the bill requires the Department of Education to exclude from the re-benchmarking process any additional expenditures relating to school divisions that implement the pilot program pursuant to the bill. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2027.

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Bill Overview

No Economic Impacts Identified for this Bill

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Terry L. Austin

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 323 • No: 6

Senate vote • 2/20/2025

Passed Senate with substitute

Yes: 36 • No: 3

House vote • 2/20/2025

Senate substitute agreed to by House

Yes: 96 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/19/2025

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/17/2025

Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute

Yes: 14 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/13/2025

Reported from Education and Health and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations

Yes: 9 • No: 2 • Other: 3

House vote • 2/4/2025

Read third time and passed House

Yes: 99 • No: 0

House vote • 1/29/2025

Reported from Education with substitute

Yes: 21 • No: 1

House vote • 1/27/2025

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute

Yes: 8 • No: 0 • Other: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0312)

    3/21/2025Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 312 (Effective 07/01/25)

    3/21/2025Governor
  3. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025

    3/11/2025Governor
  4. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025

    3/11/2025House
  5. Signed by President

    3/10/2025Senate
  6. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2720)

    3/7/2025House
  7. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB2720ER)

    3/7/2025House
  8. Enrolled

    3/7/2025House
  9. Signed by Speaker

    3/7/2025House
  10. Passed Senate with substitute (36-Y 3-N)

    2/20/2025Senate
  11. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

    2/20/2025Senate
  12. Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to

    2/20/2025Senate
  13. Read third time

    2/20/2025Senate
  14. Senate substitute agreed to by House (96-Y 0-N)

    2/20/2025House
  15. Reading of substitute waived

    2/20/2025Senate
  16. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2720)

    2/19/2025House
  17. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N)

    2/19/2025Senate
  18. Passed by for the day

    2/19/2025Senate
  19. Rules suspended

    2/19/2025Senate
  20. Committee substitute printed 25107616D-S1

    2/18/2025Senate
  21. Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (14-Y 0-N)

    2/17/2025Senate
  22. Reported from Education and Health and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 2-N 3-A)

    2/13/2025Senate
  23. Assigned Education sub: Public Education

    2/10/2025Senate
  24. Referred to Committee on Education and Health

    2/5/2025Senate
  25. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

    2/5/2025Senate

Bill Text

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