Committee approves opt‑in DMV data sharing with accredited colleges

Delegate Sewell presented House Bill 12‑26 to permit the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to share contact information with accredited colleges whose primary campus is in the Commonwealth when drivers opt in at issuance, renewal or reissuance. The bill limits permitted use to university‑related surveys, marketing and solicitation unless additional authorization is granted; it permits cost recovery agreements and bulk transfers under those conditions.

Chris Peace, representing private Virginia colleges, told the committee the bill would put private colleges on the same footing as public institutions that already use similar matching programs and that colleges would pay one‑time costs for access. The measure passed the subcommittee with a recorded vote read in the hearing as 9–0 and will move forward from committee.