SB394
AI use in instructional settings; AI Innovation in Education Pilot Program established, report.
Status:
Passed
Latest Action:
March 13, 2026
House: Conference report agreed to by House (95-Y 0-N 0-A)
Chief Patron:
Stella Pekarsky (D)
Session:
2026 Regular Session
Summary
As Introduced. Board of Education; artificial intelligence use in instructional settings; development of AI safety guidance required; AI Innovation in Education Pilot Program established; report.
Requires the Board of Education, in consultation with the Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology and Classroom Innovation, the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, and other relevant stakeholders, to establish and post in a publicly accessible location on its website guidance for the safe, ethical, and equitable use of artificial ... (More) intelligence (AI), as defined in the bill, in public elementary and secondary schools. The bill requires each school board to establish, implement, and enforce policies consistent with the guidance developed by the Board in accordance with the provisions of the bill. The bill also directs the Department to establish and oversee the AI Innovation in Education Pilot Program for the purpose of funding, evaluating, and scaling innovative uses of AI in public elementary and secondary schools by providing support to school divisions in piloting AI applications for instruction, tutoring, student engagement, operational efficiency, and teacher support with an annual report to the Chairs of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by December 1. The Pilot Program has an expiration date of July 1, 2030. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/13/2026 - Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105454D
- 01/13/2026 - Senate: Referred to Committee on Education and Health
- 02/02/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB394)
- 02/05/2026 - Senate: Assigned Education sub: Public Education
- 02/12/2026 - Senate: Reported from Education and Health and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
- 02/12/2026 - Senate: Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations
- 02/12/2026 - Senate: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (35-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Read second time
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (38-Y 1-N 0-A)
- 02/19/2026 - House: Placed on Calendar
- 02/19/2026 - House: Read first time
- 02/19/2026 - House: Referred to Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation
- 02/20/2026 - House: Placed on Communications, Technology and Innovation Agenda
- 02/23/2026 - House: Referred from Communications, Technology and Innovation and referred to Education (Voice Vote)
- 02/23/2026 - House: Referred to Committee on Education
- 02/26/2026 - House: Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee
- 02/26/2026 - House: Placed on Education Agenda
- 03/03/2026 - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (9-Y 1-N)
- 03/03/2026 - House: House subcommittee offered
- 03/03/2026 - House: Placed on Education Agenda
- 03/04/2026 - House: Reported from Education with substitute (20-Y 1-N)
- 03/04/2026 - House: Committee substitute printed 26108797D-H1
- 03/05/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB394)
- 03/06/2026 - House: Read second time
- 03/09/2026 - House: Read third time
- 03/09/2026 - House: committee substitute agreed to
- 03/09/2026 - House: Engrossed by House - committee substitute
- 03/09/2026 - House: Passed House with substitute (96-Y 1-N 0-A)
- 03/10/2026 - Senate: House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A)
- 03/11/2026 - House: House insisted on substitute
- 03/11/2026 - House: House requested conference committee
- 03/12/2026 - Senate: Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 03/12/2026 - Senate: Conferees appointed by Senate
- 03/12/2026 - Senate: Senate Conferees: Pekarsky, Favola, Head
- 03/12/2026 - House: Conferees appointed by House
- 03/12/2026 - House: House Conferees: Rasoul, Maldonado, Cherry
- 03/12/2026 - Senate: Conference substitute printed 26109729D-S1
- 03/12/2026 - Conference Report released
- 03/13/2026 - Senate: Conference report agreed to by Senate (37-Y 2-N 0-A)
- 03/13/2026 - House: Conference report agreed to by House (95-Y 0-N 0-A)
