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Bill > SB375


VA SB375

VA SB375
Virginia College Opportunity Endowment and Fund; established, report.


summary

Introduced
01/13/2026
In Committee
02/12/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

Potential new amendment
2026 Regular Regular Session

Bill Summary

Commonwealth Savers Plan; Virginia College Opportunity Endowment and Fund established; report. Establishes (i) the Endowment Scholarship Program for the purpose of providing scholarships to students at eligible institutions, as defined in the bill; (ii) the Virginia College Opportunity Endowment as an agency of the Commonwealth for the purpose of establishing and administering the Endowment Scholarship Program; and (iii) as subfunds of the Commonwealth Savers Plan fund, (a) the DB529 Fund for the purpose of holding in trust the assets of prepaid tuition contracts to meet contractual obligations and (b) the Virginia College Opportunity Fund (the Opportunity Fund), into which certain funds from the DB529 Fund shall be deposited for the purpose of funding, by income generated from investments of such deposits, the Endowment Scholarship Program and other applicable programs, as set forth in the bill. The bill requires the Commonwealth Savers Plan (the Plan) to (a) after the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2026, deposit $500 million into the Opportunity Fund from the DB529 Fund; (b) each fiscal year thereafter, in accordance with the timeline set forth in the bill, submit to the General Assembly a report on the funded status, as defined by applicable law, of the DB529 Fund and the recommendations of the Plan on the prudence of directing deposits, and the amounts of any such deposits, of additional actuarial surpluses of the Plan from the DB529 Fund into the Opportunity Fund; and (c) each subsequent year, deposit additional actuarial surpluses into the Opportunity Fund in accordance with the provisions of the bill. The bill also requires the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to, no less than biennially, complete an independent evaluation and risk assessment of the Plan's risk assessment model, assumptions, and other measures employed by the Plan relating to the DB529 Fund and Opportunity Fund. Finally, the bill contains provisions (1) relating to voluntary contributions to the Opportunity Fund for the purpose of receiving tax fund contributions and income tax deductions, and (2) exempting from mandatory disclosure requirements certain information contained in a public record relating to the Commonwealth Savers Plan or the Virginia College Opportunity Endowment and Fund.

AI Summary

This bill establishes the Virginia College Opportunity Endowment and Fund to provide scholarships to students at specific eligible institutions, creating the Endowment Scholarship Program and the Virginia College Opportunity Endowment as an agency to administer it. It also designates the DB529 Fund and the Virginia College Opportunity Fund (the Opportunity Fund) as subfunds of the Commonwealth Savers Plan fund, with the DB529 Fund holding assets from prepaid tuition contracts and the Opportunity Fund receiving deposits from the DB529 Fund to finance the scholarship program. Starting in fiscal year 2026, $500 million will be transferred from the DB529 Fund to the Opportunity Fund, with subsequent annual deposits of actuarial surpluses from the DB529 Fund into the Opportunity Fund, subject to reports and recommendations to the General Assembly on the prudence of such transfers. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission will conduct biennial evaluations of the Plan's risk assessment models for these funds. Additionally, the bill allows for voluntary contributions to the Opportunity Fund, which may qualify for tax benefits, and exempts certain information related to the Commonwealth Savers Plan and the Virginia College Opportunity Endowment and Fund from mandatory public disclosure.

Committee Categories

Budget and Finance, Education, Health and Social Services

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Passed by for the day (on 02/13/2026)

bill text


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