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HB401 • 2026

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; powers of the board.

An Act to amend and reenact § 23.1-3218 of the Code of Virginia, relating to public institutions of higher education; other educational and cultural institutions; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; powers of the board.

Education
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Askew
Last action
2026-04-08
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on new fees or membership changes beyond removing the authority for different types of memberships.

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; Board Powers

This law changes the authority of the board of trustees at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, giving them new powers related to setting fees for museum use and visitation while removing their ability to create membership classes.

What This Bill Does

  • Gives the board of trustees the power to set rules and fees for using and visiting the museum's properties.
  • Removes the board’s authority to establish different types of memberships in the museum.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The board of trustees at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
  • People who want to visit or use the museum's properties

Terms To Know

board of trustees
A group of people responsible for managing and making decisions about a museum.
regulations
Rules set by the board to guide how things are done at the museum.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify exactly what new fees will be or how they will affect visitors.
  • It is unclear if there will be changes in how people can use the museum grounds and buildings beyond what already exists.

Amendments

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

HB401ASC1

2026-02-26 • Committee

Education and Health Amendment

Plain English: The amendment ensures that existing regulations for the use and access of museum grounds remain in place after new legislation is passed.

  • Adds a provision stating that current regulations regarding the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts' grounds and facilities will continue to be enforced as part of any new laws.
  • The amendment does not specify what changes, if any, might occur in future updates to these regulations beyond ensuring their initial continuation.
HB401AS1

2026-02-27 • Committee

Education and Health Amendment

Plain English: The amendment ensures that existing regulations for using and accessing the museum's grounds will remain in place as part of the new law.

  • Adds a provision stating that current regulations about how to use and access the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts' facilities will continue to be followed.
  • The amendment does not provide details on what specific rules are included in the existing regulations, only that they will remain effective under this new act.
HB401EDOC

2026-03-02 • Senate

Senate Amendment

Plain English: The amendment ensures that existing regulations for the use and access of museum grounds remain in place after new legislation is passed.

  • Adds a provision stating that current regulations regarding museum and grounds use and access will continue to be enforced as part of the new law.
  • The amendment does not provide details about what specific changes, if any, might occur in future updates to these regulations.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 387 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-08 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0387)

  3. 2026-03-14 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

  4. 2026-03-14 Governor

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

  5. 2026-03-13 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB401)

  6. 2026-03-12 House

    Signed by Speaker

  7. 2026-03-11 Senate

    Signed by President

  8. 2026-03-11 House

    Enrolled

  9. 2026-03-11 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB401ER)

  10. 2026-03-04 House

    Senate amendment agreed to by House (96-Y 0-N 0-A)

  11. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Read third time

  12. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate as amended

  13. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate as amended

  14. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate as amended

  15. 2026-03-02 Education and Health

    Committee amendment agreed to (Voice Vote)

  16. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Passed Senate with amendment Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  17. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Rules suspended

  18. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  19. 2026-02-27 Senate

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

  20. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  21. 2026-02-26 Education and Health

    Reported from Education and Health with amendment (15-Y 0-N)

  22. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Senate committee offered

  23. 2026-02-23 Higher Education

    Assigned Education sub: Higher Education

  24. 2026-02-04 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  25. 2026-02-04 Education and Health

    Referred to Committee on Education and Health

  26. 2026-02-03 House

    Read third time and passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A)

  27. 2026-02-02 House

    Read second time and engrossed

  28. 2026-01-30 House

    Read first time

  29. 2026-01-28 Education

    Reported from Education (21-Y 0-N)

  30. 2026-01-27 Higher Education

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N)

  31. 2026-01-23 Higher Education

    Assigned HED sub: Higher Education

  32. 2026-01-20 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB401)

  33. 2026-01-12 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101735D

  34. 2026-01-12 Education

    Referred to Committee on Education

Official Summary Text

Public institutions of higher education; other educational and cultural institutions; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; powers of the board.
Amends the enumerated powers of the board of trustees of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts by replacing the authority to adopt regulations to establish classes of membership in the Museum with the authority to adopt regulations and set fees relating to the use and visitation of properties under the control of the board. The bill clarifies that the regulations on museum and grounds use and access set forth in the Virginia Administrative Code shall continue in effect and be deemed to constitute the regulations adopted pursuant to the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
An Act to amend and reenact §
23.1-3218
of the Code of Virginia, relating to public institutions of higher education; other educational and cultural institutions; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; powers of the board.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §
23.1-3218
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§
23.1-3218
. Powers of the board.
A. The board may:
1. Manage, control, maintain, and operate the Museum, including its contents, furnishings, grounds funds, property, and endowments;
2. Charge for admission to the Museum;
3. Employ a director, who shall be the chief executive officer of the Museum, and such persons as may be necessary to manage, control, maintain, and operate the Museum;
4. Consistent with subdivision 15 of §
2.2-2905
, suspend and remove employees;
5. Determine which works of art shall be kept, housed, or exhibited in the Museum;
6. Acquire by purchase, gift, loan, or otherwise works of art and exchange or sell such works if not inconsistent with the terms of the purchase, gift, loan, or other acquisition;
7. Enter into agreements with organizations interested in art;
8. Adopt a seal;
9. Stimulate and assist in the formation of new organizations;
10. Do such other things as it deems proper to promote art education throughout the Commonwealth;
11. Receive and administer on behalf of the Commonwealth gifts, bequests, and devises of real and personal property for the endowment of the Museum or any special purpose designated by the donor;
12. Change the form of investment of any funds, securities, or other property, real or personal, provided that the form is not inconsistent with the terms of the instrument under which the property was acquired. The trustees may sell, grant, and convey any such property but, in the case of real property, only with the written consent of the Governor;
13. Confer the honorary degree of patron of arts on any person who has made an outstanding contribution to art, provided that no more than two such degrees shall be conferred in any calendar year; and
14. Adopt regulations
to establish classes of membership in the Museum
and set fees relating to the use and visitation of properties under the control of the board
.
B. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the assessment and levying of a service charge pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 34 (§
58.1-3400
et seq.) of Title 58.1.
C. The exercise of the powers conferred on the board by this article is the performance of an essential governmental function.
2. The regulations on museum and grounds use and access set forth in 8VAC103-10 of the Virginia Administrative Code shall continue in effect and shall be deemed to constitute the regulations adopted in accordance with this act.