State Sen. David R. Suetterlein has put forward a bill seeking to change when schools can begin classes and revise certain scheduling regulations, according to the Virginia State Senate.
The proposal, known as SB815, was introduced on Jan. 23, 2026, during the 2026 regular session, and is described as: “School bds.; opening of school year, certain alternative schedules & schedule flexibility permitted.”
This summary offers a breakdown based on the official bill language and serves to clarify its main points.
Key changes in SB815 would move the earliest permissible start of school from 14 days before Labor Day to Sept. 1. School divisions that open prior to Labor Day would still need to close from the Friday before Labor Day through Labor Day, unless a waiver is granted. The measure preserves “good cause” waivers for year-round programs and maintains authority for adopting a four-day week provided there are at least 990 instructional hours for grades kindergarten through 12. Current exceptions for opening prior to Labor Day continue for some Planning District 16 divisions and those sending students to Northern Neck Technical Center.
The bill lists Sen. David R. Suetterlein (Republican-4th District) as its sole sponsor.
Suetterlein has also filed 18 other bills during this session.
Suetterlein is a graduate of Grove City College, where he earned a BA.
A Republican, Suetterlein was elected in 2024 to serve Virginia’s 4th Senate district, succeeding Ryan McDougle.
The Virginia legislative process begins with a bill’s introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee reviews, possible amendments, and, if successful, a full chamber vote. Once approved by both legislative chambers, the bill goes to the governor, who may sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature. Every year the Virginia General Assembly convenes in regular session, starting the second Monday in January, and sees the introduction of numerous bills; only a fraction are enacted.
| Patron(s) | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| David R. Suetterlein | SB815 | 01/23/2026 | School bds.; opening of school year, certain alternative schedules & schedule flexibility permitted. |
| David R. Suetterlein | SB817 | 01/23/2026 | School bds; parental notification of course registration deadlines and processes required, policies. |
| David R. Suetterlein and Kannan Srinivasan | SB818 | 01/23/2026 | Electric utilities; licensed retail suppliers, renewable portfolio standard requirements. |
| David R. Suetterlein | SB820 | 01/23/2026 | Community Builders Pilot Program; name change, statewide demonstration model site, repeals sunset. |
| David R. Suetterlein, Bill DeSteph, Bryce E. Reeves, Christie New Craig, Christopher T. Head, Emily M. Jordan, Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr., J.D. “Danny” Diggs, Luther Cifers, III, Mark D. Obenshain, Mark J. Peake, Richard H. Stuart, Ryan T. McDougle, T. Travis Hackworth, Tammy Brankley Mulchi, Tara A. Durant, Timmy F. French, Todd E. Pillion, and William M. Stanley, Jr. | SB7 | 01/14/2026 | Income tax, state; standard deduction and earned income tax credit. |
| David R. Suetterlein, Bill DeSteph, Bryce E. Reeves, Christie New Craig, Christopher T. Head, Emily M. Jordan, Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr., J.D. “Danny” Diggs, Luther Cifers, III, Mark D. Obenshain, Mark J. Peake, Richard H. Stuart, Ryan T. McDougle, T. Travis Hackworth, Tammy Brankley Mulchi, Tara A. Durant, Timmy F. French, Todd E. Pillion, and William M. Stanley, Jr. | SB9 | 01/14/2026 | RS & UT; food for human consumption and essential personal hygiene products, delayed effective date. |
| David R. Suetterlein, Joseph P. McNamara, and Sam Rasoul | SB10 | 01/14/2026 | Employment prohibition exceptions; apprenticeship program for children 16 years of age or older. |
| David R. Suetterlein | SB15 | 01/14/2026 | Motorcycle Driver Improvement Clinic Fund; created. |
| David R. Suetterlein and Bill DeSteph | SB17 | 01/14/2026 | Enforcement of vehicle liens; increases property value. |
| David R. Suetterlein | SB202 | 01/14/2026 | Elections; filling vacancies in county and city governing bodies. |
| David R. Suetterlein and Bryce E. Reeves | SB203 | 01/14/2026 | Teacher licensure; career and technical education or dual enrollment, three-year licenses. |
| David R. Suetterlein, Angelia Williams Graves, and Tammy Brankley Mulchi | SB204 | 01/14/2026 | License plates, special; issuance to members of Virginia REALTORS, fees collected. |
| David R. Suetterlein and T. Travis Hackworth | SB205 | 01/14/2026 | Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities; program extension. |
| David R. Suetterlein, Barbara A. Favola, Anne Ferrell Tata, Irene Shin, and Joshua G. Cole | SB206 | 01/14/2026 | Juvenile and domestic relations district courts; petitions for relief of care and custody. |
| David R. Suetterlein | SB533 | 01/14/2026 | Elections; absentee voting in person, uniform availability. |
| David R. Suetterlein, Joseph P. McNamara, and Sam Rasoul | SB534 | 01/14/2026 | Emergency custody orders; transportation to treatment center, etc. |
| David R. Suetterlein | SB538 | 01/14/2026 | Parole; investigation prior to release, input from the attorney for the Commonwealth. |
| David R. Suetterlein | SB686 | 01/14/2026 | Holding a handheld personal communications device while driving; driver improvement clinic. |
| David R. Suetterlein | SB692 | 01/14/2026 | Western Virginia Public Education Consortium; governance, funding, duties, report. |
Information in this article was obtained from the Virginia State Senate. The source data can be found here.
