HB859
Farm to School Program Task Force; membership requirements.
Status:
Passed
Latest Action:
March 31, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Chief Patron:
Rae Cousins (D)
Session:
2026 Regular Session
Summary
As Introduced. Department of Education; Farm to School Program Task Force; membership requirements; report.
Amends the membership requirements of the Farm to School Program Task Force (the Task Force) established in accordance with applicable law by requiring the membership to include (i) one member of the Senate, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules after consideration of the recommendation of the Chair ... (More) of the Senate Committee on Education and Health; (ii) one member of the House of Delegates, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates after consideration of the recommendation of the Chair of the House Committee on Education; and (iii) at least four members to be appointed by the Department of Education, including at least one school board member, one representative of the Department of General Services involved in procurement, one representative of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and one farmer of producer in the Commonwealth who sells only the farm or agricultural products produced or grown by him. The bill also directs the Task Force to study and submit to the Virginia Commission to End Hunger by November 1, 2026, a report on supporting, expanding, and improving farm to school programs in the Commonwealth. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/13/2026 - House: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105157D
- 01/13/2026 - House: Referred to Committee on Education
- 01/23/2026 - House: Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee
- 01/23/2026 - House: Placed on Education Agenda
- 01/27/2026 - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N)
- 01/27/2026 - House: Placed on Education Agenda
- 01/28/2026 - House: Reported from Education (18-Y 2-N)
- 01/29/2026 - House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB859)
- 01/30/2026 - House: Read first time
- 02/02/2026 - House: Read second time and engrossed
- 02/03/2026 - House: Read third time and passed House (93-Y 2-N 0-A)
- 02/04/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- 02/04/2026 - Senate: Referred to Committee on Education and Health
- 02/19/2026 - Senate: Assigned Education sub: Public Education
- 02/19/2026 - Senate: Senate subcommittee offered
- 02/26/2026 - Senate: Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
- 02/26/2026 - Senate: Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations
- 02/27/2026 - Senate: Committee substitute printed 26108248D-S1
- 03/02/2026 - House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB859)
- 03/04/2026 - Senate: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
- 03/05/2026 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 03/05/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 03/05/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
- 03/06/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- 03/09/2026 - Senate: Read third time
- 03/09/2026 - Senate: Education and Health Substitute agreed to
- 03/09/2026 - Senate: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute
- 03/09/2026 - Senate: Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 03/10/2026 - House: Senate substitute agreed to by House (98-Y 1-N 0-A)
- 03/30/2026 - House: Enrolled
- 03/30/2026 - House: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB859ER)
- 03/30/2026 - Senate: Signed by President
- 03/31/2026 - House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB859)
- 03/31/2026 - House: Signed by Speaker
- 03/31/2026 - House: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
- 03/31/2026 - Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
