A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 23.1-2912.1, relating to comprehensive community colleges; procurement; machinery and equipment for courses and programs; certain limitations prohibited.
HB1183 would add a new section to the Code of Virginia governing procurement at comprehensive community colleges. The bill prohibits the State Board for Community Colleges and any comprehensive community college from adopting or following any procurement policy, practice, procedure, regulation, or rule that bars the purchase of used machinery or equipment when that used equipment is necessary to provide proper student instruction in a relevant course or program.
In practical terms, the bill is aimed at ensuring community colleges can obtain used instructional equipment for career and technical education, lab work, and other programs where functioning machinery is needed for hands-on training. It does not require colleges to buy used equipment, but it prevents blanket procurement restrictions that would make such purchases impossible when they are educationally necessary.
The bill would create a new statutory limitation on procurement rules for Virginia’s comprehensive community colleges and the State Board for Community Colleges. It would override any conflicting internal policy or regulation that categorically prohibits used machinery or equipment purchases for instructional purposes, while leaving colleges free to apply other procurement standards such as safety, suitability, and value. The affected parties are the community college system, procurement officials, and students in programs that rely on equipment-intensive instruction.
The available legislative history suggests the bill was not controversial enough to generate recorded debate or votes in the materials provided, and it was continued to the next session by voice vote in the Education committee. That outcome indicates at least neutral-to-supportive sentiment, with no documented opposition in the supplied record. The bill’s focus on expanding access to instructional equipment likely aligns with workforce and affordability goals.
The main policy issue is whether colleges should be allowed to maintain procurement rules that exclude used equipment, versus allowing flexibility to buy lower-cost used machinery when it is adequate for instruction. Supporters would likely emphasize cost savings, faster access to equipment, and improved training capacity, while any opponents would likely raise concerns about safety, reliability, maintenance, or procurement consistency. No specific opposing arguments were recorded in the provided transcripts or votes.