HB 3 (Robert Bell) and HJR 1 (Robert Bell) were reported on a 10-9 vote in the House Privileges and Elections Committee on January 29. These initiatives put to referendum a constitutional amendment that would grant the Board of Education the authority to establish charter schools within the school divisions of the Commonwealth, subject to any criteria or conditions that the General Assembly may prescribe. Currently, only local school boards are authorized to approve charter schools.
The full House has deferred a vote on these measures until February 8. VACo opposes any initiatives that weakens the authority of local school boards to establish charter schools.
A vote on the Senate companion measure, SJR 6 (Obenshain), is pending in the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee.
VACo Contact: Larry Land, CAE