Subcommittee reports substitute for HB 11 86 to education, aims to limit AI chatbots in schools and set local guardrails

Delegate Delia Russell presented a substitute to House Bill 11 86 that would bring the State Board together with educators and industry stakeholders to develop guardrails for the use of AI chatbots in K‑12 schools.

Russell said the original bill banned chatbots in education but the substitute instead establishes a stakeholder process to develop responsible guardrails with a child‑safety exemption drawn from the executive order. Presenters from education technology companies and parent groups praised the substitute as measured and student‑centered; testimony included representatives from Magic School AI, Virginia Unplugged, Mothers Against Media Addiction, and other parents and business owners.

Questions from committee members focused on enforcement and penalties for school divisions that do not follow guidelines. The patron said the substitute establishes state law obligations for certain actions but does not set explicit penalties in the bill; compliance mechanisms and any fiscal impacts would be evaluated if the bill moves to Appropriations or the Education Committee. The substitute was reported and referred to the Education Committee on a vote of 7–1 per the clerk’s announcement.

Next steps: HB 11 86 will go to the Education Committee for further consideration and possible fiscal analysis.