# Virginia HB971: College student-athletes; biometric data, protections and limitations.

Virginia HB971, College student-athletes; biometric data, protections and limitations., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Marcia S. "Cia" Price (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-06 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0247)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB971-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB971
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: College student-athletes; biometric data, protections and limitations.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-06, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0247)
- Sponsor: Marcia S. "Cia" Price (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 7 (212 yes, 7 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

College student-athletes; biometric data; protections and limitations. Prohibits any private institution of higher education, associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education, or baccalaureate public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth from disclosing to any individual or entity outside of the institution any enrolled student-athlete's biometric data, as defined in the bill, without the prior written consent of the student-athlete. The bill also prohibits any individual or entity from making the possession, use, or ownership of or the rights to any student-athlete's biometric data a condition of any contract with the student-athlete for the use of the student-athlete's name, image, or likeness without the prior written consent of the student-athlete in a writing that is separate and apart from such contract.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- College athletes control their biometric data: benefit, low. The law defines what counts as biometric data for student-athletes. It includes DNA; face or iris scans; fingerprints; voiceprints; typing or walking patterns; and sleep or exercise data that identify you. Your school cannot share your biometric data outside the school without your prior written co…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Marcia S. "Cia" Price (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 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 | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-17 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 93 | 3 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | House | Reported from Education | pass | 19 | 1 | 1 |
| 2026-02-09 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 6 | 3 |   |

## Actions (27)

- 2026-04-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0247) (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Approved by Governor-Chapter 247 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-25: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-25: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-16: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB971) (House)
- 2026-03-14: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB971ER) (House)
- 2026-03-14: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-14: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-14: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-09: Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Read third time (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: Reported from Education and Health (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Assigned Education sub: Higher 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 (93-Y 3-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-16: Read second time and engrossed (House)
- 2026-02-13: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-11: Reported from Education (19-Y 1-N 1-A) (House)
- 2026-02-09: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB971) (House)
- 2026-02-09: Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 3-N) (House)
- 2026-02-05: Assigned HED sub: Higher Education (House)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Education (House)
- 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103119D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217183.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217182.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1208903.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1208902.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086731.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086730.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/1217183.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217182.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1208903.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1208902.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086731.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086730.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-HB971-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).