2025 SESSION

SENATE SUBSTITUTE

25107615D

HOUSE BILL NO. 2278

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations

on February 17, 2025)

(Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate Price)

A BILL to direct the Virginia Disability Commission to review, in collaboration with the Department of Education and local school divisions, identify, and evaluate the physical accessibility challenges and barriers that exist in public elementary and secondary schools for those with disabilities.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. That the Virginia Disability Commission is directed to review, in collaboration with the Department of Education and local school divisions, identify, and evaluate the physical accessibility challenges and barriers that exist in public elementary and secondary schools for individuals with disabilities. Such review shall identify best practices for improving such challenges and barriers and shall consider the extent to which: (i) public elementary and secondary school buildings and grounds in local school divisions present physical accessibility challenges and barriers for individuals with disabilities, including challenges and barriers that may prevent such individuals from fully participating in school activities; (ii) challenges in access to programming and supports exist for individuals with physical disabilities at public elementary and secondary schools in local school divisions; (iii) plans and options to address and eliminate all such challenges and barriers; and (iv) how state agencies can assist such schools to address and eliminate all such challenges and barriers while fully complying with all applicable state and federal laws. The Virginia Disability Commission shall report on the findings and recommendations of such review to the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Education by November 1, 2025.