House Education Committee advances wide slate of education bills, hears remarks from new Secretary of Education

The House Committee on Education met in session to hear opening remarks from newly appointed Secretary of Education Smith and to take action on a lengthy docket of education bills.

Secretary Smith, introduced by the committee, said he was "honored, to have recently been appointed by, our governor to serve as the Commonwealth's secretary of education" and described a 32-year career in Virginia public education, including 15 years as a superintendent and two years as executive director and CEO of the Virginia Air and Space Science Center. He said early childhood education, recruiting and retaining educators, and strengthening college- and career-readiness pathways would be priorities for the administration. "I'll leave with just a simple quote ... that was just 1 step at a time and that done well is a very good rule," he added.

Following the introduction, the committee worked through a large docket. The panel handled an administrative referral (House Bill 925) and then considered and voted on a series of bills covering higher education governance, early childhood policy, K–12 staffing and curriculum, licensure for career and technical education instructors, and school operations. Testimony was brief for most items; Randy Pierson of 2 Capital Consulting testified in favor of House Bill 423, calling it "a simple clean up bill" and asking the committee to act favorably.

Votes at a glance: the committee reported and/or referred the following measures (final committee tallies as announced): HB925 — referred to Commerce and Labor (voice vote); HB1042 — reported and referred to appropriations (19–1); HB423 — reported (19–0); HB254 — reported and referred to appropriations (19–1); HB258 — reported as amended (20–1); HB138 — reported and referred to appropriations (14–7); HB139 — reported with amendments (14–7); HB180 — reported and referred to appropriations (17–4); HB182 — reported with substitute (14–7); HB201 — reported (13–7); HB263 — reported and referred to appropriations (16–4); HB290 — reported and referred to Courts of Justice (20–0); HB332 — reported with substitute and incorporation of HB785 (20–0); HB333 — reported (13–7); HB382 — reported (15–5); HB410 — reported and referred to appropriations (15–5); HB416 — reported (tally announced); HB859 — reported (17–2); HB1171 — reported with amendments (18–3); HB85 — continued to 2027; HB131 — reported (21–0); HB383 — reported (20–1); HB401 — reported (21–0); HB427 — reported (19–1). (Committee tallies reflect the votes announced at the meeting.)

Committee members asked occasional procedural and policy questions — for example, whether university representatives were present to discuss governance changes in HB1042 — but most bills moved on voice votes or recorded tallies after brief remarks and committee substitution/amendment votes. Where amendments were adopted, clerks read the amendment language and the committee voted to adopt before proceeding to final report votes.

What happens next: most bills were either reported to appropriations or referred to relevant committees (Courts of Justice, Commerce and Labor) and will follow the standard legislative process. HB85 was continued to 2027. The committee set its next full meeting for Monday at 8 a.m. and noted scheduling may change due to weather.

The hearing concluded with a motion to adjourn by Delegate McQuinn, which the committee approved by voice vote.