State Sen. Stella G. Pekarsky has proposed new legislation designed to set statewide standards for the responsible implementation of artificial intelligence in elementary and secondary classrooms, according to the Virginia State Senate.
The measure, introduced as SB394 on Jan. 14, 2026, during the 2026 regular session, carries the formal description: “Artificial intelligence; use of systems for student instruction.”
This overview, derived from the actual bill language, incorporates interpretation for clarity of its main provisions.
Essentially, the measure would require the Virginia Board of Education to create and publicly share guidance on the safe, ethical and fair use of artificial intelligence in public elementary and secondary schools. This includes direction on protecting student data privacy, ensuring transparency, preventing bias, promoting accessibility, and placing limits on consequential AI-driven decisions. The proposal emphasizes secure, division-controlled AI platforms, requires local school board policies to reflect the commonwealth’s guidance, and sets expectations for data protection, system interoperability and educator training. It also establishes an AI Innovation in Education Pilot Program for funding, testing, and evaluating artificial intelligence in teaching and school operations with yearly reports to lawmakers. Provisions tied to the pilot program expire July 1, 2030.
Sen. Stella G. Pekarsky (Democrat-36th District) is the sole sponsor of this bill.
Since the start of session, Pekarsky has put forward 23 other bills.
Pekarsky holds a bachelor’s degree from George Mason University.
Pekarsky, a Democrat, was elected to represent Virginia’s 36th Senate district in 2024, succeeding Scott Surovell in the chamber.
In Virginia, bills are introduced in either the House of Delegates or the Senate and then referred to relevant committees for review and possible revision. With committee approval, measures go to the floor of both chambers for debate and voting. If passed by both, the bill is forwarded to the governor, whose options include signing, vetoing, or letting it become law without action. The Virginia General Assembly gathers annually in regular session starting on the second Monday of January, with legislators introducing hundreds of bills each cycle, though only a subset advances into law.
| Patron(s) | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stella G. Pekarsky | SB394 | 01/14/2026 | Artificial intelligence; use of systems for student instruction. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky | SB107 | 01/14/2026 | Jury service; exemptions upon request, certain caretakers of persons with serious health conditions. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky | SB108 | 01/14/2026 | School boards; student cell phone and smart device possession and use policies, prohibition. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky | SB109 | 01/14/2026 | School boards; safe storage of prescription drugs and firearms in the household. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky | SB110 | 01/14/2026 | Certified school library specialists; Superintendent of Public Instruction to employ in DOE. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky and Scott A. Surovell | SB115 | 01/14/2026 | Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky | SB117 | 01/14/2026 | Public school teachers; reemployment of teacher who has not received continuing contract status. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky | SB126 | 01/14/2026 | Primary election; when filings to be made, extension for incumbents failure to file. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky | SB137 | 01/14/2026 | Obstructing health care facility access; penalties. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky | SB147 | 01/14/2026 | Alternative graduation pathways to earn Standard Diploma; development, approval, and implementation, |
| Stella G. Pekarsky | SB169 | 01/14/2026 | Candidates for office; challenges to candidate qualifications. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky | SB172 | 01/14/2026 | Health insurance claims; electronic information or attachments accepted, delayed effective date. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky | SB174 | 01/14/2026 | Virginia Student Teacher Scholarship Program; established, report. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky and Angelia Williams Graves | SB258 | 01/14/2026 | Virginia Human Rights Act; reasonable accommodation for known limitations related to menopause. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky and Barbara A. Favola | SB305 | 01/14/2026 | Kinship foster care; barrier crime waiver, report. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky | SB308 | 01/14/2026 | Drug overdose and drug overdose deaths; VDH to develop plan for opioid overdose response. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky | SB309 | 01/14/2026 | Driver education programs; voluntary initiatives for drivers with autism spectrum disorder. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky | SB365 | 01/14/2026 | Fostering Access, Innovation, and Responsibility in Artificial Intelligence Act; established. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky, Angelia Williams Graves, Jennifer B. Boysko, Jennifer D. Carroll Foy, and Lashrecse D. Aird | SB491 | 01/14/2026 | Public schools; right to free public elementary and secondary education, discrimination, etc. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky | SB492 | 01/14/2026 | Geologists; added to definition of “professional services,” continuing education. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky and Scott A. Surovell | SB493 | 01/14/2026 | Consumer protection; automatic renewal or continuous service offers, disclosure and cancellation. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky | SB615 | 01/14/2026 | Consumer Data Protection Act; online device pricing, prohibition. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky, Barbara A. Favola, Ghazala F. Hashmi, and Lashrecse D. Aird | SB678 | 01/14/2026 | Special ed. and related services; rights, etc., relating to education of children with disabilities. |
| Stella G. Pekarsky and Jennifer D. Carroll Foy | SB685 | 01/14/2026 | School bd. policies; communication & language accessibility for limited English proficient parents. |
Information in this article was obtained from the Virginia State Senate. The source data can be found here.
