# Virginia SB394: Artificial intelligence; use of systems for student instruction. Virginia SB394, Artificial intelligence; use of systems for student instruction., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Stella G. Pekarsky (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0943)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB394-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB394 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Artificial intelligence; use of systems for student instruction. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-13 - Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0943) - Sponsor: Stella G. Pekarsky (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 14 (439 yes, 46 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 2 ## Summary Department of Education; artificial intelligence system use in instructional settings; development of AIS safety guidance required; AIS Innovation in Education Pilot Program established; report. Requires the Department of Education, in consultation with school divisions and other relevant stakeholders, to compile information on current uses of artificial intelligence systems (AIS) for student instruction in public schools in the Commonwealth and to establish and post in a publicly accessible location on its website guidance for the safe, ethical, and equitable use of AIS in instructional settings in public elementary and secondary schools. The bill requires each school board to establish, implement, and enforce policies consistent with the guidance developed by the Department in accordance with the provisions of the bill. The bill also directs the Department to establish and oversee the AIS Innovation in Education Pilot Program for the purpose of funding, evaluating, and scaling innovative uses of AIS in public elementary and secondary schools by providing support to school divisions in piloting AIS applications for instruction, tutoring, student engagement, operational efficiency, and teacher support and to submit an annual report to the Chairs of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by December 1. The Pilot Program has an expiration date of July 1, 2030. This bill is identical to HB 1186. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - State rules for AI in classrooms: benefit, low. The Department of Education must publish statewide guidance for safe, fair AI use in K-12 classrooms. It addresses student data privacy and security under FERPA and COPPA and bans using division or student data to train external AI models. It calls for transparency, clear explanations of AI use, an… - AI pilot for K-12 schools: mixed, low. The Department runs an AI Innovation in Education Pilot Program, if funds are appropriated. It can fund projects for instruction, tutoring, student engagement, operations, and teacher support in public schools. The Department prioritizes divisions that serve high-poverty, rural, or under-resourced… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Stella G. Pekarsky (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-13 | House | Conference report agreed to by House | pass | 95 | 0 | | | 2026-03-13 | Senate | Conference report agreed to by Senate | pass | 37 | 2 | | | 2026-03-12 | Senate | Senate acceded to request Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-03-10 | Senate | House substitute rejected by Senate | fail | 0 | 40 | | | 2026-03-09 | House | Passed House with substitute | pass | 96 | 1 | | | 2026-03-04 | House | Reported from Education with substitute | pass | 20 | 1 | | | 2026-03-03 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 9 | 1 | | | 2026-02-23 | House | Referred from Communications, Technology and Innovation and referred to Education (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-16 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 38 | 1 | | | 2026-02-16 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2026-02-16 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-13 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 35 | 0 | | | 2026-02-12 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 | | | 2026-02-12 | Senate | Reported from Education and Health and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 | | ## Actions (49) - 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0943) (Governor) - 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 943 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor) - 2026-03-31: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB394) (Senate) - 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 (Senate) - 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB394ER) (Senate) - 2026-03-30: Enrolled (Senate) - 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Conference report agreed to by House (95-Y 0-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-13: Conference report agreed to by Senate (37-Y 2-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Conference Report released - 2026-03-12: House Conferees: Rasoul, Maldonado, Cherry (House) - 2026-03-12: Conferees appointed by House (House) - 2026-03-12: Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Conferees appointed by Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Senate Conferees: Pekarsky, Favola, Head (Senate) - 2026-03-11: House requested conference committee (House) - 2026-03-11: House insisted on substitute (House) - 2026-03-10: House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-09: Passed House with substitute (96-Y 1-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-09: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House) - 2026-03-09: committee substitute agreed to (House) - 2026-03-09: Read third time (House) - 2026-03-06: Read second time (House) - 2026-03-05: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB394) (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Committee substitute printed 26108797D-H1 (House) - 2026-03-04: Reported from Education with substitute (20-Y 1-N) (House) - 2026-03-03: House subcommittee offered (House) - 2026-03-03: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (9-Y 1-N) (House) - 2026-02-26: Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee (House) - 2026-02-23: Referred from Communications, Technology and Innovation and referred to Education (Voice Vote) (House) - 2026-02-19: Referred to Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation (House) - 2026-02-19: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-19: Placed on Calendar (House) - 2026-02-16: Read third time and passed Senate (38-Y 1-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-16: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-16: Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-16: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-02-16: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-02-13: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (35-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-13: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-02-13: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-02-12: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-12: Reported from Education and Health and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Assigned Education sub: Public Education (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB394) (Senate) - 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Education and Health (Senate) - 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105454D (Senate) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224638.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224637.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213755.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213754.PDF) - Conference Report, 2026-03-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1209164.HTML) - Substitute, 2026-03-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1209161.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1209160.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1192121.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1192120.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-03-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1190145.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1189917.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1190144.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1189916.PDF) - Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1089896.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1089895.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/1224638.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224637.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213755.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213754.PDF) - [Conference Report (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1209164.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1209161.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1209160.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1192121.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1192120.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1190145.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1189917.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1190144.PDF) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1189916.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1089896.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1089895.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-SB394-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).