2026 SESSION

HOUSE SUBSTITUTE

26107460D

HOUSE BILL NO. 1374

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the House Committee on Education

on February 11, 2026)

(Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate Feggans)

A BILL to amend and reenact § 23.1-2501 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Military Institute; board of visitors; membership.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 23.1-2501 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 23.1-2501. Membership.

A. As used in this section:

"Senior rank" means a rank at or above the grade of (i) E-7 for enlisted personnel or (ii) O-5 for commissioned officers.

"United States military experience" means active duty, reserve, or National Guard service at a senior rank in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States from which the individual retired or was honorably discharged.

B. The board shall consist of 17 members, of whom 16 shall be appointed by the Governor and one shall be the Adjutant General, who shall serve as an ex officio nonvoting member. Of the 16 members appointed by the Governor, (i) 12 no more than eight shall be alumni of the Institute, of whom eight shall be residents of the Commonwealth and four shall be nonresidents, and (ii) four at least six shall be nonalumni residents of the Commonwealth, and (iii) at least five shall have United States military experience.

B. C. The alumni association of the Institute may submit to the Governor a list of not more than three nominees for each vacancy on the board, whether the vacancy occurs by expiration of a term or otherwise. The Governor may appoint a member from the list of nominees.

2. That the provisions of this act shall apply to all members appointed to the Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors on or after July 1, 2026, and all such appointments shall be made in conformance with the requirements set forth in § 23.1-2501 of the Code of Virginia, as amended by this act. However, no member who serves on the Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors as of June 30, 2026, shall be removed from such Board solely to effectuate compliance with the requirements of this act.