Members of the VHEAP Legislative & Governance Committee include:
- Korey Singleton – GMU (Lead)
- Barbara Zunder – Univ of Virginia
- Mark Nichols – Virginia Tech
- Jason Heron – Virginia Tech
For more information on the groups efforts during the current legislative session, contact them at governance@vheap.org.
The bills have passed! HB1805 was passed and signed on March 21st. HB2541 was passed and signed on March 25th.
There were two bills of interest in this past session, HB1805 and HB2541. More information on each can be found below. If you would like to express your opinion/support of these or other bills, Who’s My Legislator web page will help you find your delegates and senators.
HB 1805 (use this link to follow the bill – opens a new page)
CURRENT STATUS: PASSED and SIGNED by the GOVERNOR!
- 03/21/25 Approved by the Governor – Chapter 202 (Effective 07/01/25)
- 02/18/25 Senate: Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)
- 02/18/25 Senate Read third time
- 02/13/25 Senate: Reported from Education and Health (15-Y 0-N)
- 02/04/25 House: Read third time and passed House (82-Y 14-N)
- 02/03/25 House: Read second time and engrossed
- 02/02/25 House: Read first time
- 01/31/25 House: Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
- 01/22/25 House: Reported from Education and Appropriations (17-Y 5-N)
- 01/20/25 House: Subcommittee recommends reporting and referred to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N)
- 01/06/25 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25104384D
Delegate Laura Jane Cohen is the patron for this bill.
Summary as Introduced - Public institutions of higher education; policies; individuals with disabilities; postsecondary transition planning and services; documentation or evidence; report. Requires any individualized education program (IEP) meeting for any student with a disability held for the purpose of postsecondary transition planning and consideration of postsecondary transition services to include, consistent with the guidance developed by the Department of Education pursuant to applicable law, consideration and documentation of any information relating to such student's postsecondary transition planning and service needs that may be necessary or relevant to coordinating and facilitating the successful and efficient transition of such student from secondary school to an institution of higher education. The bill directs the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to study and make recommendations in a report by November 1, 2025, on improving and standardizing the quality and consistency of IEPs or sections of IEPs developed and implemented for students with disabilities dedicated to postsecondary transition planning and services for students with disabilities by public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth.
HB 2541 (use this link to follow the bill – opens a new page)
CURRENT STATUS: PASSED and SIGNED by the GOVERNOR!
- 03/24/25 Approved by the Governor – Chapter 571 (Effective 07/01/25)
- 02/20/25 House: Senate Amendments agreed to by House (96-Y 0-N)
- 02/20/25 Senate: Passed Senate with amendments (39-Y 0-N)
- 02/20/25 Senate: Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N)
- 02/20/25 Senate: Passed Senate with amendments (39-Y 0-N)
- 02/20/25 Senate: Engrossed by Senate as amended
- 02/20/25 Senate: General Laws and Technology Amendments agreed to
- 02/20/25 Senate: Reading of amendments waived
- 02/20/25 Senate Read third time
- 02/17/25 Senate: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)
- 02/12/25 Senate: Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendments and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
- 02/04/25 House: Read third time and passed House (98-Y 0-N)
- 02/03/25 House: Read second time
- 02/02/25 House: Read first time
- 01/31/25 House: Reported from Appropriations with substitute (22-Y 0-N)
- 01/27/25 House: Reported from Communications, Technology and Innovation with substitute and referred to Appropriations (19-Y 3-N)
- 01/22/25 House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (9-Y 0-N)
- 01/09/25 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25104578D
Once again, Delegate Kathy Tran is the patron for this bill. Introduced on January 9th, this year’s version proposes a number of significant changes to improve the ability of covered entities to ensure equivalent access to their information and communications technology resources. Please keep in mind this is an update to current code – not new legislation!
Summary as Introduced - Information Technology Access Act; digital accessibility. Makes numerous organizational changes to the Information Technology Access Act. The bill defines "information and communications technology" as it relates to digital accessibility, defined in the bill, for all persons with disabilities. The bill permits the head of each covered entity, defined in the bill, to designate an employee to serve as such covered entity's digital accessibility coordinator and provides that such digital accessibility coordinator is responsible for developing and implementing such covered entity's digital accessibility policy. The bill has a delayed effective date of April 24, 2026.
Highlights of the approved changes to the bill are listed below:
- Broadening the scope to cover all persons with disabilities, not just those with visual impairments
- Broadening the definition of covered entities to include public institutions of higher education, school divisions, and political subdivisions of the Commonwealth
- Defining “information and communications technology, or ICT”
- Updating procurement requirements for vendors:
- Requires a vendor certify that any product procured by a covered entity conforms with accessibility standards. If the vendor cannot certify conformance of accessibility of the ICT product being procured, the covered entity may require such vendor to provide a current vendor-paid and completed Accessibility Conformance Report indicating the level of conformance with accessibility for the ICT being procured by the covered entity.
- Vendor must provide product enhancement roadmap for areas of nonconformance.
- Places responsibility on the vendor/developer to provide an accessible digital asset.
- Updating procurement requirements for institutions/covered entity:
- Removal of the current 5% exclusion clause
- Places responsibility on the institution/covered entity to review the ACR, the product roadmap, and development of equally effective alternative access plans for areas of nonconformance prior to deployment.
- Consistent with 28 C.F.R. § 35.202 and E202.7 of Section 508 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.), these changes allow for the adoption of non-accessible ICT, provided that the use of such technology does not result in individuals with disabilities being denied the benefit of any program, service, or activity provided by the covered entity.
- Addressing the need for accessibility when digital assets are procured, acquired, and developed in-house
- Annual reporting to the appropriate executive branch agency any ICT that is not included in the exceptions found in 28 C.F.R. § 35.201. Each executive branch agency shall report annually to the General Assembly on such ICT and provide an estimate on the fiscal impact involved in bringing such technology into compliance with federal and state laws and regulations.
- Encouraging covered entities to appoint digital accessibility coordinators who would provide oversight on development and implementation of entity’s digital accessibility-related policies.
- Requiring public entities to provide a process for grievances.
- Delayed implementation date of April 24, 2026.
Members of the committee are happy with these changes and hope to see final passage of this bill in the week(s) ahead. Please inform your legislative liaisons within your entity and contact your delegate and senators to express your support.