Legislative Session in Full Swing

January 23, 2026 — The 2026 legislative session began on January 14th and is in full swing. The HEAV legislative team has reviewed 2,393 bills to date–and counting. The last day for general bill submissions is Friday, January 23, and we expect another 1000 bills to be introduced. The team continues to assess each introduced bill for any potential impact on homeschool families. As of today, no legislation has been introduced that mirrors SB1031. This is important because if a new bill is introduced, you’ll need to be prepared to reach out to your legislators and make your voice heard.

Among the many bills we are watching is one that would directly impact the language in the home instruction law:

HB534: Students who receive home instruction; teacher evaluation letter of student academic progress.
Carried by newly elected Delegate Karen Hamilton, HB534 intends to change the credentials required of an evaluator from a master’s degree to a bachelor’s degree. We are working with legislators, policy organizations, and HSLDA to monitor the progress of this bill.

In addition to HB534, we have identified and are actively addressing the following bills that directly impact the homeschool community:

SB732: Income tax; nonpublic and public school tax credits.
Introduced by Senator Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr. (R), this bill would create a refundable tax credit, but only for homeschool families living in Planning District 15.

SB733: Local governing bodies; appropriations of local school funds to families for compulsory student attendance in nonpublic school settings.

Introduced by Senator Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr. (R), this bill would allow local governments to allocate a portion of state education funding to families in compliance with Virginia’s compulsory attendance law who are educated in nonpublic school settings.

HB551: Nondegree workforce training programs; accreditation.
This bill helps people—including homeschooled students aged 16 and older—gain skills needed for today’s workforce.

Things move very quickly during the legislative session. More bills and resolutions are being introduced in both the House and Senate, and the existing bills we are tracking are moving through the legislative process. We will provide substantive updates and alerts as events unfold.

Please watch our blog, legislative update emails, and social media on X and Facebook.

For 43 years, HEAV has been on the front lines, working tirelessly to establish, expand, and protect homeschool rights, and we remain laser-focused on protecting homeschool freedom in Virginia.

Together, we will continue to advocate clearly, respectfully, and firmly throughout the session so families can homeschool with confidence—not uncertainty.

P.S. Here are two handy links to keep at your fingertips.

Who is my legislator? Get the contact information you need so you can call and email your representative.

Capitol Classroom: A quick refresher on how things work at the general assembly—for your kids and for you!