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HB1038 • 2026

Virginia Student Environmental Literacy Plan Grant Fund and Program; created and established.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 10.1 a section numbered 10.1-104.6:3, relating to Virginia Student Environmental Literacy Plan Grant Fund and Program established.</p>

Education
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Carr
Last action
2026-02-18
Official status
Failed
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify that the Office of Environmental Education manages the fund and program exclusively with the Department of Education, but mentions consultation with other stakeholders as well.

Virginia Student Environmental Literacy Plan Grant Fund and Program

This bill establishes a grant fund and program for Virginia schools to develop plans that teach students about environmental issues.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates the Virginia Student Environmental Literacy Plan Grant Fund in the state treasury.
  • Establishes the Virginia Student Environmental Literacy Plan Grant Program, managed by the Office of Environmental Education with consultation from the Department of Education and other stakeholders.
  • Grants are awarded competitively to school divisions that want assistance in developing local student environmental literacy plans.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Virginia schools
  • Students in Virginia

Terms To Know

Environmental Literacy Plan
A plan created by a school division to teach students about the environment and how to protect it.
Grant Program
A program that gives money to schools or organizations to help them achieve certain goals, like teaching environmental literacy.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the amount of funding available for grants.
  • It is unclear how many schools will apply and receive grants from this fund.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-18 House

    Left in Committee Appropriations

  2. 2026-02-11 Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources

    Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (7-Y 0-N)

  3. 2026-01-22 Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources

    Assigned HAPP sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources

  4. 2026-01-22 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1038)

  5. 2026-01-14 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103332D

  6. 2026-01-14 Appropriations

    Referred to Committee on Appropriations

Official Summary Text

Virginia Student Environmental Literacy Plan Grant Fund and Program established.
Establishes the Virginia Student Environmental Literacy Plan Grant Fund and Program, to be administered by The Office of Environmental Education, in consultation with the Department of Education and any other stakeholder that it deems appropriate, for the purpose of awarding grants on a competitive basis to any school division that seeks assistance to develop a local student environmental literacy plan.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 10.1 a section numbered
10.1-104.6:3
, relating to Virginia Student Environmental Literacy Plan Grant Fund and Program established.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 10.1 a section numbered
10.1-104.6:3
as follows:

§
10.1-104.6:3
. Virginia
Student
Environmental Literacy
Plan
Grant Fund
and Program
.

A.
There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Virginia Student Environmental Literacy Plan Grant Fund, referred to in this section as "the Fund." The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. All funds appropriated for such purpose and any gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds received on its behalf shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Fund. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Moneys in the Fund shall be used solely for the purpose of awarding grants on a competitive basis pursuant to the Virginia Student Environmental Literacy Plan Grant Program established in subsection B. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by the Director.

B.
There is hereby established the Virginia Student Environmental Literacy Plan Grant Program (the Program) for the purpose of awarding grants from the Fund on a competitive basis to any school division that seeks assistance to
develop
a
local
environmental literacy plan
. The Office of Environmental Education shall, in consultation with the Department of Education and any other stakeholder that it deems appropriate, administer the Fund and Program and shall establish such rules and procedures for the Program that it deems necessary and appropriate.

C.
Any school division may apply for Program grants
to
develop
a
local
student environmental literacy plan that align
s
with the Standards of Learning and emphasize
s
environmental literacy as an essential skill and concept of citizenship that is necessary for responsible participation in American society and in the international community, as set forth in subsection C of §

22.1-253.13:1
. Such
a
local student environmental literacy plan may also prepare students to understand, analyze, and address the major environmental challenges facing the Commonwealth and the United States
.