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HB1037 • 2026

Science SOL & Curriculum Framework; instructional material to include climate change, etc.

An Act to direct the Board of Education, during its next regularly scheduled revision of the Science Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework, to include in such Science Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy and provide guidance to school boards on the selection of such instructional materials.

Education
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Carr
Last action
2026-04-22
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Science SOL & Curriculum Framework; instructional material to include climate change, etc.

Board of Education; instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy; model policies and procedures for selection.

What This Bill Does

  • Board of Education; instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy; model policies and procedures for selection.
  • Requires the Board of Education to make available to each local school board instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy that are based on and include peer-reviewed scientific sources.
  • The bill requires the Board of Education to develop, adopt, and make available to each local school board model policies and procedures, based on peer-reviewed scientific sources, pertaining to the selection of instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy, including a requirement for any such selected material to accurately portray changes in weather and climate patterns over time, the impacts of human activity on changes in weather and climate patterns, and the effects of climate change on people and resources.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB1037G

2026-04-11 • Governor

Governor's Recommendation

Plain English: (HB1037) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION I approve the general purpose of this bill, but I am returning it without my signature with the request that the attached Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26110203D) be accepted.

  • (HB1037) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION I approve the general purpose of this bill, but I am returning it without my signature with the request that the attached Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26110203D) be accepted.
HB1037H1

2026-04-13 • Governor

Governor Substitute

Plain English: 2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26110203D HOUSE BILL NO.

  • 2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26110203D HOUSE BILL NO.
  • 1037 AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE (Proposed by the Governor on April 11, 2026) (Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate Carr) A BILL to direct the Board of Education, during its next regularly scheduled revision of the Science Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework, to include in such Science Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy and provide guidance to school boards on the selection of such instructional materials.
  • Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1.
  • § 1.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-22 Governor

    Governor's recommendation adopted

  2. 2026-04-22 House

    Signed by Speaker

  3. 2026-04-22 Senate

    Signed by President

  4. 2026-04-22 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 1086 (effective 7/1/2026)

  5. 2026-04-22 House

    Reenrolled

  6. 2026-04-22 House

    Reenrolled bill text (HB1037ER2)

  7. 2026-04-22 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1086)

  8. 2026-04-22 House

    House concurred in Governor's recommendation (64-Y 36-N 0-A)

  9. 2026-04-22 Senate

    Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)

  10. 2026-04-11 Governor

    Governor's recommendation received by House

  11. 2026-04-11 Governor

    Governor's recommendation received by House

  12. 2026-03-10 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

  13. 2026-03-10 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  14. 2026-03-09 House

    Signed by Speaker

  15. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Signed by President

  16. 2026-03-09 House

    Enrolled

  17. 2026-03-09 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1037ER)

  18. 2026-03-09 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1037)

  19. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Read third time

  20. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Read third time

  21. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  22. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Rules suspended

  23. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  24. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)

  25. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  26. 2026-02-26 Education and Health

    Reported from Education and Health (9-Y 6-N)

  27. 2026-02-19 Public Education

    Assigned Education sub: Public Education

  28. 2026-02-09 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  29. 2026-02-09 Education and Health

    Referred to Committee on Education and Health

  30. 2026-02-06 House

    Read third time and passed House (65-Y 33-N 0-A)

  31. 2026-02-05 House

    Read second time and engrossed

  32. 2026-02-04 House

    Read first time

  33. 2026-02-02 Education

    Reported from Education (15-Y 7-N)

  34. 2026-01-30 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1037)

  35. 2026-01-14 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102265D

  36. 2026-01-14 Education

    Referred to Committee on Education

Official Summary Text

Board of Education; instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy; model policies and procedures for selection.
Requires the Board of Education to make available to each local school board instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy that are based on and include peer-reviewed scientific sources. The bill requires the Board of Education to develop, adopt, and make available to each local school board model policies and procedures, based on peer-reviewed scientific sources, pertaining to the selection of instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy, including a requirement for any such selected material to accurately portray changes in weather and climate patterns over time, the impacts of human activity on changes in weather and climate patterns, and the effects of climate change on people and resources.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to direct the Board of Education, during its next regularly scheduled revision of the Science Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework, to include in such Science Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy and provide guidance to school boards on the selection of such instructional materials.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1.
§ 1. That the Board of Education (the Board) shall, during its next regularly scheduled revision of the Science Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework and in its subsequent selection of associated textbooks and high-quality instructional materials, (i) include instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy that are based on and include peer-reviewed scientific sources relating to changes in weather and climate patterns over time, the impacts of human activity on changes in weather and climate patterns, and the effects of climate change on people and resources and (ii) provide to each school board guidance on the selection of instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy in accordance with clause (i).