Virginia · 2026 Regular Session

SB491 Public schools; right to free public elementary and secondary education, discrimination, etc.

Direction

Immigration enforcement sanctuary policiesAI label

Restricts immigration enforcement model confidence 90%

Prohibits schools from inquiring about, collecting, designating, or disclosing immigration/citizenship status information (with narrow exceptions), and requires protocols for handling immigration-related warrants on school property, so less immigration enforcement in schools.

no school board, public elementary or secondary school, school resource officer employed by a local law-enforcement agency in any public elementary or secondary school, or individual who is an employee, contractor, or agent of a school board shall: ... Requesting or collecting information or documentation from a student or the student's parent about immigration or citizenship status, except to the extent required by state or federal law;

⚠ Quote could not be matched to the bill text: treat this label with caution

Immigration enforcement state federal cooperationAI label

Restricts immigration enforcement model confidence 85%

Bars schools from disclosing actual or perceived immigration/citizenship status to law-enforcement or immigration agents except as allowed under 8 U.S.C. §§ 1373 and 1644, and requires guidance on handling immigration warrants, so less cooperation with federal immigration enforcement in schools.

If the school board or school does not have direct knowledge of the actual immigration or citizenship status of a child, the parent of a child, or another person associated with the child, disclose any matter or information relating to the perceived immigration or citizenship status of a child, the parent of a child, or another person associated with the child to any other person or agency, including any law-enforcement agent or immigration or law-enforcement agency, except as provided in subsection D.

✓ Quote verified word for word in the bill text

Filed (completed)
Committee (completed)
Passed one chamber (completed)
Passed both (completed)
Governor (completed)
Law

Stage: Law · step 6 of 6

Last action: 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0681)
Filed: 2026-01-13
Sponsor: Stella Pekarsky D + 4 cosponsors (4 D)

Read official text (Chaptered)Legislature page LegiScan

Why the model tagged it this way: The bill enacts school sanctuary-type policies by prohibiting most inquiries into or disclosures of immigration status and by requiring training on limiting cooperation with immigration warrants, directly addressing immigration-enforcement topics; no provisions address firearms, transgender issues, or abortion.

Related bills

HB28 Voter registration; regular periodic review of registration records.Expands immigration enforcement Passed one chamber
HB650 Courthouses; certain civil arrests prohibited, penalty.Restricts immigration enforcement Restricts immigration enforcement Vetoed
SB351 Courthouses; certain civil arrests prohibited, penalty.Restricts immigration enforcement Restricts immigration enforcement Vetoed
HB675 Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty.Restricts immigration enforcement Expands immigration enforcement Law

Hearings and calendar

2026-01-22 19:00 · Hearing · Senate Education and Health-Public Education Hearing Senate Room C, Room 311, General Assembly Building
2026-01-29 08:30 · Hearing · Senate Education and Health Hearing Senate Room A, Room 305, General Assembly Building
2026-02-05 08:30 · Hearing · Senate Education and Health Hearing Senate Room A, Room 305, General Assembly Building
2026-03-03 08:00 · Hearing · House Education: K-12 Subcommittee Hearing House Committee Room A - 008
2026-03-04 09:00 · Hearing · House Education Hearing House Committee Room A - 008

Votes

Date	Chamber	Motion	Yea-Nay
2026-02-05	S	Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N)	9-6	Passed
2026-02-10	S	Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (10-Y 5-N)	10-5	Passed
2026-02-11	S	Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)	40-0	Passed
2026-02-13	S	Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)	21-18	Passed
2026-03-03	H	Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 3-N)	7-3	Passed
2026-03-04	H	Reported from Education with substitute (14-Y 7-N)	14-7	Passed
2026-03-09	H	Passed House with substitute (63-Y 34-N 0-A)	63-34	Passed
2026-03-10	S	House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A)	0-40	Failed
2026-03-12	S	Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)	40-0	Passed
2026-03-13	S	Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)	21-18	Passed
2026-03-13	H	Conference report agreed to by House (64-Y 31-N 0-A)	64-31	Passed

Text versions

Introduced 2026-01-13
Comm Sub 2026-01-22
Comm Sub 2026-02-05
Comm Sub 2026-02-06
Comm Sub 2026-02-11
Comm Sub 2026-03-03
Comm Sub 2026-03-03
Comm Sub 2026-03-04
Comm Sub 2026-03-12
Enrolled 2026-03-30
Chaptered 2026-04-13

History (54 actions)

Date	Chamber	Action
2026-04-13		Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0681)
2026-04-13		Approved by Governor-Chapter 681 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-03-31		Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-31	S	Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
2026-03-31	H	Signed by Speaker
2026-03-31	S	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB491)
2026-03-30	S	Signed by President
2026-03-30	S	Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB491ER)
2026-03-30	S	Enrolled
2026-03-13	H	Conference report agreed to by House (64-Y 31-N 0-A)
2026-03-13	S	Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
2026-03-12		Conference Report released
2026-03-12	H	House Conferees: Rasoul, Cousins, Runion
2026-03-12	H	Conferees appointed by House
2026-03-12	S	Senate Conferees: Pekarsky, Favola, Craig
2026-03-12	S	Conferees appointed by Senate
2026-03-12	S	Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-11	H	House requested conference committee
2026-03-11	H	House insisted on substitute
2026-03-10	S	House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A)
2026-03-09	H	Passed House with substitute (63-Y 34-N 0-A)
2026-03-09	H	Engrossed by House - committee substitute
2026-03-09	H	committee substitute agreed to
2026-03-09	H	Read third time
2026-03-06	H	Read second time
2026-03-04	S	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB491)
2026-03-04	H	Committee substitute printed 26108808D-H1
2026-03-04	H	Reported from Education with substitute (14-Y 7-N)
2026-03-03	H	House subcommittee offered
2026-03-03	H	Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 3-N)
2026-02-26	H	Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee
2026-02-18	H	Referred to Committee on Education
2026-02-18	H	Read first time
2026-02-18	H	Placed on Calendar
2026-02-13	S	Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
2026-02-12	S	Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote)
2026-02-12	S	Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)
2026-02-12	S	Committee substitute rejected (Voice Vote)
2026-02-12	S	Read second time
2026-02-11	S	Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-11	S	Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-11	S	Rules suspended
2026-02-11	S	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB491)
2026-02-11	S	Committee substitute printed 26107531D-S2
2026-02-10	S	Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (10-Y 5-N)
2026-02-06	S	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB491)
2026-02-06	S	Committee substitute printed 26106599D-S1
2026-02-05	S	Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N)
2026-02-05	S	Senate committee offered
2026-01-29	S	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB491)
2026-01-22	S	Senate subcommittee offered
2026-01-22	S	Assigned Education sub: Public Education
2026-01-13	S	Referred to Committee on Education and Health
2026-01-13	S	Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104918D