VirginiaHB4042026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Enslaved Ancestors College Access Scholarship and Memorial Program; scholarships, administration.

Sponsored By: David A. Reid (Democratic)

Became Law

Summary

Enslaved Ancestors College Access Scholarship and Memorial Program; parameters. Prohibits any such institution from passing the cost of any scholarship program established in accordance with the provisions of the Enslaved Ancestors College Access Scholarship and Memorial Program to other enrolled students by increasing the rate of tuition or mandatory fees. The bill also requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to (i) establish a work group that consists of a representative of each institution that participates in the Program that meets at least semiannually to discuss Program administration, including sharing best practices on administration and research, coordinating funding and fundraising strategies, developing outreach and marketing plans, collaborating on historical and genealogical research efforts, and aligning government and community engagement initiatives, and (ii) develop and maintain a single statewide online portal that describes each institution's program, criteria, and investments in scholarship students or the community, lists designated points of contact at each institution, shares application timelines and processes, and offers historical context and ongoing memorial updates.

Your PRIA Score

Score Hidden

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to start

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

College aid for enslaved-ancestry families

Virginia creates a program at UVA, VCU, VMI, William & Mary, and Longwood. Each year, these schools identify and memorialize enslaved people who labored on their grounds. They must give a tangible benefit, like college scholarships or community economic investment, to people or communities with a proven historic tie to slavery. Schools must use non-state funds and cannot raise tuition or mandatory fees to pay for this. Each school continues until it matches its years of enslaved labor or has awarded scholarships to 100% of the enslaved people it identified, whichever comes first.

One portal and shared program rules

The State Council sets common rules with the schools. The rules cover how to identify enslaved people, how to memorialize, who can get help, and how long programs run. The Council runs a work group that meets at least twice a year to share best practices, plan outreach, and coordinate funding and research. It also runs one statewide website with each school’s program, who can apply, contacts, and application dates, plus history and memorial updates. Each year, the Council sends a report by November 1 to named legislative committee chairs and the Virginia African American Advisory Board.

Private colleges urged to join

Virginia encourages private colleges with a similar history to take part in the program. Joining is voluntary. If they opt in, they can offer scholarships or community investments under the program.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • David A. Reid

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 227 • No: 36

Senate vote 3/4/2026

Passed Senate Block Vote

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/3/2026

Reported from Finance and Appropriations

Yes: 15 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/3/2026

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/3/2026

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/26/2026

Reported from Education and Health and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations

Yes: 14 • No: 0

House vote 2/17/2026

Read third time and passed House

Yes: 67 • No: 27

House vote 2/11/2026

Reported from Appropriations

Yes: 22 • No: 0

House vote 2/11/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting

Yes: 7 • No: 0 • Other: 1

House vote 2/4/2026

Reported from Education with substitute and referred to Appropriations

Yes: 14 • No: 7

House vote 2/2/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations

Yes: 8 • No: 2 • Other: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0606)

    4/13/2026Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 606 (effective 7/1/2026)

    4/13/2026Governor
  3. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    3/14/2026Governor
  4. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

    3/14/2026House
  5. Signed by Speaker

    3/12/2026House
  6. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB404)

    3/11/2026House
  7. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB404ER)

    3/11/2026House
  8. Enrolled

    3/11/2026House
  9. Signed by President

    3/11/2026Senate
  10. Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

    3/4/2026Senate
  11. Read third time

    3/4/2026Senate
  12. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

    3/3/2026Senate
  13. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

    3/3/2026Senate
  14. Rules suspended

    3/3/2026Senate
  15. Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)

    3/3/2026Senate
  16. Reported from Education and Health and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)

    2/26/2026Senate
  17. Assigned Education sub: Higher Education

    2/23/2026Senate
  18. Referred to Committee on Education and Health

    2/18/2026Senate
  19. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

    2/18/2026Senate
  20. Read third time and passed House (67-Y 27-N 0-A)

    2/17/2026House
  21. Engrossed by House - committee substitute

    2/16/2026House
  22. committee substitute agreed to

    2/16/2026House
  23. Read second time

    2/16/2026House
  24. Read first time

    2/13/2026House
  25. Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)

    2/11/2026House

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation