# Virginia SB953: Practical nursing programs, certain; transferability to registered nursing programs, etc.

Virginia SB953, Practical nursing programs, certain; transferability to registered nursing programs, etc., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Barbara A. Favola (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-03-24 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0465)) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB953-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB953
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Practical nursing programs, certain; transferability to registered nursing programs, etc.
- Status: to governor
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-06
- Last action: 2025-03-24, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0465)
- Sponsor: Barbara A. Favola (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 9 (317 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Certain practical nursing programs; common curriculum; transferability to registered nursing programs; pathway of stackable credentials. Requires the Virginia Community College System, in consultation with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the Board of Nursing, and representatives from associate-degree-granting public institutions of higher education that offer nursing programs, to develop a common curriculum for practical nursing programs that shall be implemented at each comprehensive community college in the System that offers a practical nursing program. The bill requires such common curriculum, to the extent possible, to (i) align with the degree requirements for registered nursing programs offered at associate-degree-granting public institutions of higher education and (ii) be transferable to each registered nursing program offered at an associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education. The bill requires each associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education that offers a registered nursing degree program to participate in a practical nursing program to registered nursing program transfer agreement with the System that aligns with the practical nursing program common curriculum established pursuant to the bill and permits any private institution of higher education that offers a registered nursing degree program to be consulted regarding and participate on a voluntary basis in such a transfer agreement. The bill also (a) requires the System to establish a pathway of stackable nursing credentials that consists of a practical nursing to associate registered nursing to bachelor of science in nursing program pathway; (b) directs the System to develop and implement the common curriculum for practical nursing programs by July 1, 2026; and (c) directs the System to submit a progress report to the chairs of the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Education by December 1, 2025. The provisions of the bill relating to the development of the common curriculum for practical nursing programs have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. The bill incorporates SB 791 and is identical to HB 2548.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Barbara A. Favola (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-19 | Senate | House substitute agreed to by Senate | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-18 | House | Passed House with substitute | pass | 97 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-12 | House | Reported from Education | pass | 21 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-10 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 10 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025-01-31 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-31 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-30 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025-01-29 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations with amendment | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-23 | Senate | Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 |   |

## Actions (47)

- 2025-03-24: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0465) (Governor)
- 2025-03-24: Approved by Governor-Chapter 465 (Effective 07/01/26) (Governor)
- 2025-03-11: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-03-11: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025 (Senate)
- 2025-03-10: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB953) (Senate)
- 2025-03-10: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB953ER) (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-02-19: House substitute agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB953) (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: Floor substitute printed 25107727D-H1 (Rasoul) (House)
- 2025-02-18: Passed House with substitute (97-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-18: Engrossed by House - floor substitute (House)
- 2025-02-18: Delegate Rasoul Substitute agreed to (House)
- 2025-02-18: Read third time (House)
- 2025-02-18: Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar (House)
- 2025-02-17: Passed by for the day (House)
- 2025-02-14: Read second time (House)
- 2025-02-12: Reported from Education (21-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-10: Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-07: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB953) (Senate)
- 2025-02-07: Assigned Educ sub: Higher Education (House)
- 2025-02-06: Referred to Committee on Education (House)
- 2025-02-06: Read first time (House)
- 2025-02-06: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2025-01-31: Printed as engrossed 25105795D-ES1 (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute as amended (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Finance and Appropriations Amendment agreed to (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Education and Health Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Read second time (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Reading of amendment waived (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Reading of substitute waived (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 1-A) (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: Reported from Finance and Appropriations with amendment (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB953) (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Incorporates SB791(Head) (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Committee substitute printed 25105795D-S1 (Senate)
- 2025-01-20: Assigned Education sub: Higher Education (Senate)
- 2025-01-06: Referred to Committee on Education and Health (Senate)
- 2025-01-06: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25104229D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1077143.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1077142.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2025-03-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066366.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066365.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-02-18: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1057305.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1057304.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-02-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1043918.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1043917.PDF)
- Engrossed, 2025-01-31: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036115.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036114.PDF)
- Amendment, 2025-01-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1034564.HTML)
- Substitute, 2025-01-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1027463.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1027462.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-01-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014583.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014582.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/1077143.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1077142.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066366.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066365.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1057305.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1057304.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1043918.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1043917.PDF)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036115.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036114.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1034564.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1027463.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1027462.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014583.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014582.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB953-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).