SB 815 Virginia Senate · 2026 Regular Session

School bds.; opening of school year, certain alternative schedules & schedule flexibility permitted.

Summary
School boards; opening of the school year; certain alternative schedules and schedule flexibility permitted. Extends from no earlier than 14 days before Labor Day to no earlier than 14 days before September 1 of each year the requirement relating to the earliest date that each school board is permitted to schedule as the first day on which students are required to attend school each year. This bill is identical to HB 1455.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 23, 2026 Signed Apr 8, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Enrolled Chaptered · 3 edits
MINOR
This bill marks the final chaptering of SB 815, converting it from an enrolled draft into an official Virginia Act. The substantive policy content regarding school calendars, alternative schedules, and specific exemptions for Planning District 16 and Northern Neck Technical Center remains unchanged from the previous version.
Scope change
The bill's scope and applicability are unchanged; no new laws or policy modifications were added or removed.
TECHNICAL

Removed the 'Enrolled' status header and replaced it with the official 'Chaptered' designation (Chapter 522), indicating the bill has been signed into law.

Added the official approval date (April 8, 2026) and formatting consistent with the Virginia Acts of Assembly.

Adjusted line breaks and spacing to match the standard formatting of enacted statutes.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 13, 2026 · House of Delegates Mar 9, 2026

How they voted

350
Passed · 4 other
Total votes 39
Feb 13, 2026
D Democratic20
19 Yea 1
95% Yea
R Republican19
16 Yea 3
84% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
30
Key actions
9
Committee
5
Apr 8, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 522 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive
Mar 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB815ER)
upper
Mar 9, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed House (96-Y 0-N 0-A)
lower
Mar 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from Education (21-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 20, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Education
lower
Feb 16, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
upper
Feb 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
upper
Feb 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Education and Health (15-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 5, 2026
Committee
Assigned Education sub: Public Education
upper
Jan 23, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Education and Health
upper
Jan 23, 2026
Introduced
Presented and ordered printed 26104363D
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of David Suetterlein
David Suetterlein
RRepublican
VA
4