SB 203 Virginia Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Teacher licensure; career and technical education or dual enrollment, three-year licenses.

Summary
Teacher licensure; three-year renewable license to teach career and technical education or dual enrollment courses at public high schools. Requires the Board of Education to provide for the issuance of a three-year renewable license to teach solely career and technical education courses or dual enrollment courses that are creditable toward the completion of an undergraduate course, degree, or credential offered in and accepted at a public institution of higher education at public high schools in the Commonwealth to any individual who (i) is employed as an instructor by an institution of higher education that is accredited by a nationally recognized regional accreditation body, (ii) is teaching in the specific career and technical education or dual enrollment subject area at such institution in which the individual seeks to teach at a public high school, and (iii) complies with certain requirements set forth in relevant law enumerated by the bill. The bill requires the Board to require any such instructor to maintain continuous employment in such position at the institution of higher education as a condition of continued licensure. The bill also requires each school board that employs an individual issued such a three-year license to provide such instructor training on instruction and assessment during his first year of employment. Finally, the bill directs the Board to amend its regulations in accordance with the provisions of the bill. This bill is identical to HB 332.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 9, 2026 Signed Apr 13, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Education and Health Substitute Education Substitute · 4 edits
MODERATE
The bill was reclassified from a Senate Substitute to an amendment offered for consideration by the House Committee, changing the committee attribution and the bill's title. The substantive policy language regarding the creation of a three-year renewable license for career and technical education instructors remains largely the same, though minor phrasing adjustments were made to clarify that the local school board is responsible for providing training.
Scope change
The bill's scope remains focused on establishing a specific three-year license for instructors of career and technical or dual enrollment courses at public high schools, but the procedural origin of the bill shifted from the Senate Committee to the House Committee.
TECHNICAL

The bill's procedural header was changed to reflect that it is now an amendment offered by the House Committee on Education instead of the Senate Committee on Education, and the date was updated from February 5 to February 18, 2026.

The section number for the new license was changed from 22.1-299.6:1 to 22.1-299.9.

REQUIREMENT

The text was slightly rephrased to explicitly state that the 'local school board' must provide training, whereas the original version stated 'Any school board'.

The requirement for training was shortened from 'during his first year of employment' to 'during his first year'.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 6, 2026 · House of Delegates Feb 23, 2026

How they voted

380
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 39
Feb 6, 2026
D Democratic20
20 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican19
18 Yea 1
94% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
38
Key actions
12
Committee
7
Apr 13, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 817 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive
Mar 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 2, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB203ER)
upper
Feb 23, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed House with substitute (97-Y 0-N 0-A)
lower
Feb 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from Education with substitute (21-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
House committee offered
lower
Feb 13, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Education
lower
Feb 10, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
upper
Feb 6, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day
upper
Feb 6, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
upper
Feb 5, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Education and Health with substitute (15-Y 0-N)
upper
Jan 29, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate subcommittee offered
upper
Jan 15, 2026
Committee
Assigned Education sub: Public Education
upper
Jan 9, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Education and Health
upper
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors