# Virginia HB298: Public elementary or secondary school students; evidence-based restorative disciplinary practices.

Virginia HB298, Public elementary or secondary school students; evidence-based restorative disciplinary practices., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Delores L. McQuinn (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0586)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB298-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB298
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Public elementary or secondary school students; evidence-based restorative disciplinary practices.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-09
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0586)
- Sponsor: Delores L. McQuinn (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 11 (236 yes, 112 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

Public elementary and secondary school students; consideration of evidence-based restorative disciplinary practices required; exceptions; report. Prohibits any public elementary or secondary school student from being suspended, expelled, or excluded from attendance at school unless the school first considers at least one evidence-based restorative disciplinary practice, as defined in the bill, except in the case of certain enumerated serious offenses or aggravating circumstances, as defined in the bill. The bill requires each school, any time it imposes exclusionary discipline instead of an evidence-based restorative disciplinary practice, to document in the student's disciplinary record, as a part of the school's existing disciplinary documentation practices and consistent with the guidelines adopted by the Department of Education (the Department) pursuant to the bill, the rationale for the decision to impose exclusionary discipline, including any factors supporting the decision not to utilize an evidence-based restorative disciplinary practice. The bill directs the Department to (i) add the use of evidence-based restorative disciplinary practices to the Student Behavior and Administrative Response survey in order to annually collect and analyze data on the use of such practices and publicly post an annual report containing an evaluation of the effectiveness of such practices based on the data collected and (ii) adopt and make available guidelines and support materials for considering, monitoring, and evaluating the use of evidence-based restorative disciplinary practices. The provisions of the bill prohibiting any public school student from being suspended, expelled, or excluded from attendance at school unless the school first considers at least one evidence-based restorative disciplinary practice and requiring each school, any time it imposes exclusionary discipline instead of an evidence-based restorative disciplinary practice, to document in the student's disciplinary record the rationale for such decision, have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Restorative steps before school suspensions: benefit, medium. Starting July 1, 2027, schools must consider at least one evidence-based restorative practice before suspending, expelling, or excluding a student. There are exceptions for certain serious offenses and Board-identified aggravating circumstances. If a school excludes a student instead of using a res…
- Clear rules for school restorative practices: benefit, low. The law defines evidence-based restorative disciplinary practices for public schools. It lists options like community conferencing, mentoring, peer mediation, peer juries, restorative circles, and similar programs. It sets standards focused on repairing harm, building relationships, balancing accou…
- State training and annual discipline data: benefit, low. By January 1, 2027, the Department of Education publishes guidelines and support materials on restorative practices. It provides training and technical help to schools. The Department adds questions on these practices to its statewide behavior survey, collects and analyzes the results each year, an…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Delores L. McQuinn (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-11 | House | Senate substitute agreed to by House | pass | 65 | 34 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute | pass | 21 | 19 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Education and Health Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-06 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-06 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-05 | Senate | Reported from Education and Health with substitute | pass | 9 | 6 |   |
| 2026-02-17 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 62 | 35 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | House | Reported from Appropriations | pass | 14 | 7 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 4 | 2 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | House | Reported from Education with substitute and referred to Appropriations | pass | 15 | 6 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 7 | 3 |   |

## Actions (44)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0586) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor - Chapter 586 (effective - see bill) (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB298) (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 (HB298ER) (House)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Senate substitute agreed to by House (65-Y 34-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-10: Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Education and Health Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB298) (House)
- 2026-03-05: Committee substitute printed 26108470D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Reported from Education and Health with substitute (9-Y 6-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Senate subcommittee offered (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Assigned Education sub: Public Education (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Referred to Committee on Education and Health (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Read third time and passed House (62-Y 35-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-16: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-16: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-16: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-15: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-13: Subcommittee recommends reporting (4-Y 2-N) (House)
- 2026-02-13: Reported from Appropriations (14-Y 7-N) (House)
- 2026-02-11: Committee substitute printed 26107705D-H1 (House)
- 2026-02-11: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB298) (House)
- 2026-02-11: Reported from Education with substitute and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 6-N) (House)
- 2026-02-11: Assigned HAPP sub: Elementary & Secondary Education (House)
- 2026-02-10: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 3-N) (House)
- 2026-02-10: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-02-10: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-02-09: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB298) (House)
- 2026-02-09: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-02-05: 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 26102624D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218933.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218932.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212135.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212134.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-03-05: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1196305.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1196304.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-26: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1185237.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1185236.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139407.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139406.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-10: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1138560.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139419.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1138559.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139418.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-02-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1135417.HTML)
- Introduced, 2026-01-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083448.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083446.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/1218933.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218932.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212135.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212134.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1196305.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1196304.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1185237.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1185236.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139407.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139406.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1138560.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139419.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1138559.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139418.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1135417.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083448.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083446.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-HB298-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).