# Virginia SB1229: Students from foreign countries; student exchange programs, tuition and fee waivers.

Virginia SB1229, Students from foreign countries; student exchange programs, tuition and fee waivers., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Lashrecse D. Aird (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-03-21 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0263)) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1229-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB1229
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Students from foreign countries; student exchange programs, tuition and fee waivers.
- Status: to governor
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-08
- Last action: 2025-03-21, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0263)
- Sponsor: Lashrecse D. Aird (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 9 (316 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Public institutions of higher education; student exchange programs; tuition and mandatory fee waivers; conditions. Clarifies that tuition and mandatory fees may be waived for a student from a foreign country enrolled in a public institution of higher education through a formalized student exchange program between such institution and another institution of higher education, provided that the number of full-time equivalent inbound students from a foreign country for whom tuition and mandatory fees has been waived does not exceed during any three-year period the number of full-time equivalent outbound students who are enrolled through such student exchange program and who pay full tuition and mandatory fees to the institution. Current law permits tuition and mandatory fees to be waived for a student from a foreign country enrolled in a public institution of higher education through a student exchange program approved by such institution, provided that the number of students from a foreign country for whom tuition and mandatory fees has been waived does not exceed during any three-year period the number of students from a foreign country who are enrolled through such student exchange program and who pay full tuition and mandatory fees to the institution. This bill is identical to HB 2156.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Lashrecse D. Aird (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-18 | Senate | House substitute agreed to by Senate | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-17 | House | Passed House with substitute | pass | 96 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-12 | House | Reported from Education with substitute | pass | 21 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-10 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 10 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025-02-04 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-04 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-03 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-30 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-28 | Senate | Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 |   |

## Actions (48)

- 2025-03-21: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0263) (Governor)
- 2025-03-21: Approved by Governor-Chapter 263 (Effective 07/01/25) (Governor)
- 2025-03-05: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-03-05: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 5, 2025 (Senate)
- 2025-02-24: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-02-21: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB1229) (Senate)
- 2025-02-21: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1229ER) (Senate)
- 2025-02-21: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2025-02-21: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-02-18: House substitute agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-17: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB1229) (Senate)
- 2025-02-17: Floor substitute printed 25107627D-H2 (Carr) (House)
- 2025-02-17: Passed House with substitute (96-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-17: Engrossed by House - floor substitute (House)
- 2025-02-17: Delegate Carr Substitute agreed to (House)
- 2025-02-17: Education Substitute rejected (House)
- 2025-02-17: Read third time (House)
- 2025-02-17: Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar (House)
- 2025-02-14: Read second time (House)
- 2025-02-13: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB1229) (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Committee substitute printed 25106934D-H1 (House)
- 2025-02-12: Reported from Education with substitute (21-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-10: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-07: Read first time (House)
- 2025-02-07: Assigned Educ sub: Higher Education (House)
- 2025-02-07: Referred to Committee on Education (House)
- 2025-02-07: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2025-02-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB1229) (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (39-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Reading of substitute waived (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Education and Health Substitute rejected (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Read second time (Senate)
- 2025-02-03: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-03: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-02-03: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB1229) (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Committee substitute printed 25106567D-S2 (Senate)
- 2025-01-28: Committee substitute printed 25106018D-S1 (Senate)
- 2025-01-28: Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: Assigned Education sub: Higher Education (Senate)
- 2025-01-20: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB1229) (Senate)
- 2025-01-08: Referred to Committee on Education and Health (Senate)
- 2025-01-08: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25104464D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2025-03-21: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1072348.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1072347.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2025-02-21: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1060724.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1060723.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-02-17: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054926.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054925.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-02-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1047803.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1047802.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-02-10: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1044741.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1044740.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-02-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1043930.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1043929.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-02-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1038265.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1038264.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-01-28: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1029982.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1029981.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-01-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018318.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018317.PDF)

## Related bills

- HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted)
- SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed)
- HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed)
- HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed)
- SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed)
- HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1072348.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1072347.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1060724.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1060723.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054926.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054925.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1047803.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1047802.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1044741.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1044740.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1043930.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1043929.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1038265.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1038264.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1029982.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1029981.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018318.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018317.PDF)

## Related
- [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025)
- [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025)
- [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025)
- [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025)
- [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025)
- [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025)
- [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-SB1229-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).