Virginia 2017 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate

SB 997 — Public schools; student discipline.

Last action — Defeated by House (46-Y 50-N)

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House of Delegates
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2017 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Prohibits students in preschool through grade three from being suspended for more than 10 days or expelled except for drug offenses, firearm offenses, certain criminal acts, or if the underlying conduct involves other weapons, inappropriate sexual behavior, or serious bodily injury.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

32 added · 34 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendment to Bill SB 997 removes specific language regarding long-term suspensions for young students, making it more lenient by allowing suspensions only in cases of serious issues like weapons or sexual misconduct. Additionally, it clarifies that students in preschool through grade three cannot be suspended for more than five school days for disruptive behavior. This change is important because it aims to reduce the number of young students facing harsh disciplinary measures, promoting a more supportive approach to education during their formative years.

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SESSION history | hilite | pdf | print version 17105091D SENATE BILL NO.
SESSION history | hilite | pdf | print version 17105406D SENATE BILL NO.
997 AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE (Proposed by the Senate Committee on Education and Health on February 2, 2017) (Patron Prior to Substitute--Senator Stanley) A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 22.1-254, 22.1-277, and 22.1-277.2:1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to public schools;
997 AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE (Proposed by the House Committee on Education on February 13, 2017) (Patron Prior to Substitute--Senator Stanley) A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 22.1-254, 22.1-277, and 22.1-277.2:1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to public schools;
Except as provided in subsection C or § 22.1-277.07 or 22.1-277.08, no student in preschool through grade three shall receive a long-term suspension or be expelled from attendance at school unless the underlying conduct involves weapons, inappropriate sexual behavior, or serious bodily injury.
Except as provided in subsection C or § 22.1-277.07 or 22.1-277.08, no student in preschool through grade three shall be suspended for more than five school days or expelled from attendance at school.
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Action History

  1. Defeated by House (46-Y 50-N)

  2. Committee substitute agreed to 17105406D-H1

  3. Read third time

  4. Passed by for the day

  5. Passed by for the day

  6. Passed by for the day

  7. Read second time

  8. Referred to Committee on Education

  9. Read first time

  10. Placed on Calendar

  11. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB997S1

  12. Committee substitute agreed to 17105091D-S1

  13. Reading of substitute waived

  14. Read second time

  15. Assigned Education sub: Public Education

  16. Referred to Committee on Education and Health

  17. Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/17 17102852D

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 5 co-sponsors · 142 not signed on · 33 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (5)

Not signed on (142)

142 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Defeated by House

Failed 46 Yea · 50 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 465000
Total 465000
% of votes cast 48%52%0%0%
How each member voted (96)
Member Party Vote
Albo — Yea
Collins — Yea
Dudenhefer — Nay
Farrell — Nay
Greason — Yea
Ingram — Nay
Landes — Nay
LeMunyon — Yea
Lingamfelter — Yea
Peace — Yea
Toscano — Yea
Villanueva — Nay
Yancey — Nay
Yost — Yea
Bell, Richard P. — Yea
Adams — Nay
Cline — Yea
Hester — Yea
Holcomb — Yea
Lindsey — Yea
Minchew — Yea
O'Bannon — Yea
Pogge — Yea
Stolle — Yea
Jones — Nay
Miller — Nay
Habeeb — Nay
Helsel — Nay
Hugo — Nay
James — Nay
Loupassi — Nay
Massie — Nay
Morris — Nay
Aird, Lashrecse D. — Yea
Alfonso H. Lopez — Yea
Bell, John J. — Yea
Bell, Robert B. — Yea
Betsy B. Carr — Yea
Bourne, Jeffrey M. — Yea
Bulova, David L. — Nay
Byron, Kathy J. — Yea
C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr. — Yea
Campbell, Jeffrey L. — Nay
Charniele L. Herring — Yea
Christopher T. Head — Nay
Cole, Mark L. — Nay
Cox, M. Kirkland — Nay
Davis, Glenn R. — Nay
Delores L. McQuinn — Yea
Edmunds, James E., II — Nay
Fariss, C. Matthew — Nay
Filler-Corn, Eileen — Yea
Fowler, Hyland F."Buddy," Jr. — Nay
Freitas, Nicholas J. — Nay
Gilbert, C. Todd — Yea
Heretick, Steve E. — Nay
Israel D. O'Quinn — Nay
James A. "Jay" Leftwich — Nay
Jennifer B. Boysko — Yea
Jessica L. Anderson — Nay
Keam, Mark L. — Yea
Knight, Barry D. — Nay
LaRock, Dave A. — Nay
Lamont Bagby — Yea
Levine, Mark H. — Yea
Luke E. Torian — Yea
M. Keith Hodges — Nay
Marcia S. "Cia" Price — Yea
Marcus B. Simon — Yea
Marshall, Daniel W., III — Nay
Marshall, Daniel W., III — Nay
Michael J. Webert — Nay
Miyares, Jason S. — Nay
Mullin, Michael P. — Yea
Murphy, Kathleen — Yea
Orrock, Robert D., Sr. — Nay
Patrick A. Hope — Nay
Paul E. Krizek — Yea
Plum, Kenneth R. — Yea
Poindexter, Charles D. — Nay
R. Lee Ware — Nay
Ransone, Margaret B. — Nay
Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr. — Yea
Robert S. Bloxom, Jr. — Nay
Robinson, Roxann L. — Nay
Rush, Nick — Nay
Sam Rasoul — Yea
Sickles, Mark D. — Nay
Terry G. Kilgore — Nay
Terry L. Austin — Nay
Thomas A. Garrett, Jr. — Yea
Thomas C. Wright, Jr. — Nay
Todd E. Pillion — Nay
Tony O. Wilt — Yea
Tyler, Roslyn C. — Yea
Vivian E. Watts — Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

education
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 997 do?
Prohibits students in preschool through grade three from being suspended for more than 10 days or expelled except for drug offenses, firearm offenses, certain criminal acts, or if the underlying conduct involves other weapons, inappropriate sexual behavior, or serious bodily injury.
Who sponsors SB 997?
SB 997 is sponsored by Jeremy S. McPike, Jennifer L. McClellan, Lionell Spruill, Sr., William M. Stanley, Jr., Jennifer T. Wexton, and Dunnavant, Siobhan S..
What is the current status of SB 997?
This bill died with 2017 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 997?
Track SB 997 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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